Dear Karen and Lifestart Foundation,

My name is Nguyen Hoang Khang and I am currently a student in Year 9 at Tran Cao Van Secondary School. I live in Phu Dong village, Go Noi commune. I am writing this letter to sincerely thank you for choosing me, among many other students, as a recipient of a scholarship to support my education. I would also like to share more about my personal and family circumstances, as well as my studies and current life.

My family has three members: my mother, my grandmother and me. My mother is a kindergarten teacher at Minh Hai Kindergarten, about 45 minutes from home. She leaves for work at 5:30 a.m. and returns home at around 6:30 p.m. She works from Monday to Saturday and on Sundays, often takes on extra work serving at events such as weddings or cleaning at hotels. I can see how hard her job is as she often has to feed one child while comforting another who is crying. I feel deeply for her as she works very hard and tirelessly every day.

My grandmother is nearly 60 years old. She works as a hired farm laborer, doing tasks such as picking chili peppers and beans. Her health has gradually declined and after work she often complains of pain in her arms and legs. I feel very sorry for her as she is getting older and her health is no longer as good as it used to be, yet she still has to work hard every day.

Regarding my studies, this year I am studying core subjects such as Maths, Literature, English, Physics and Biology. After the first semester, I achieved a title of Excellent Student, ranking with an average score of 9.3 out of a possible 10. However, I am not completely satisfied with this result as I believe I can do even better. I am now in the second semester, preparing for the upcoming exams. At present, my studies are going well, and I have made clear progress, especially in Physics which I understand much better than before.

Among all my subjects, I enjoy Mathematics the most as I find it interesting and practical and it is also my strongest subject. My classmates and I get along well and support each other and the teachers explain lessons clearly and are always willing to help by answering my questions whenever I face difficulties in my studies.

I am currently taking extra classes in Maths, Literature and English. My teachers are friendly, supportive and dedicated, which makes it easier for me to understand the lessons. At home, I usually spend about three to four hours on self-study each day, completing homework, preparing lessons for the next day and delving deeper into each of my subjects.

In April, I took part in a STEM competition in the field of science, working with a classmate to present a project we had developed. This is a dust and bio-air filtration device and in the competition we explained its functions and benefits. This was my first time participating in such a competition. The competition helped me gain experience, explore the world of science, understand its real-life applications and broaden my knowledge and practical exposure in this field.

In addition to studying, I also take part in extracurricular activities organised by my school. Last semester, I joined the 26 March festival with my classmates where we played traditional games such as tunnel crawling and tug of war. Although it was tiring, we had a joyful and memorable time together. These happy moments with my classmates in our final year of secondary school have given me many meaningful memories of my student life.

In my free time, I help my mother with household chores such as washing dishes, cleaning the house and sweeping the floor. Sometimes I go for a walk or play football with my classmates.

My dream is to become a civil engineer as I believe this career suits my strengths in reasoning and calculation and it will also provide a stable and good income. Thus I am focusing on studying subjects such as Maths, Physics and Art to prepare for this goal.

During the scholarship interview, I felt very nervous and worried as I thought I might not be selected. After the interview, I felt less anxious. When I received the news that I had been successful, my family and I were extremely happy and grateful and my teachers and friends also sent me many congratulations.

I believe that this scholarship will be a strong source of motivation for me to continue working hard in my studies. It also provides financial support that helps ease my mother’s burden in covering my educational expenses. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to you for trusting me and giving me this opportunity. I will do my very best in my studies to achieve higher results and live up to your expectations. Finally, I wish all of you good health, happiness and continued success so that you can support many more students like myself, who face difficult circumstances.

Yours sincerely,

Nguyen Hoang Khang