Dear Ms Karen and everyone at Lifestart Foundation,
My name is Nguyen Thi Minh Huyen, a third-year student at Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy. I am fortunate to be a recipient of a scholarship from the Lifestart Foundation. Via this letter, I would like to express my gratitude and heartfelt appreciation to you all for giving me this precious scholarship.
I was born and raised in a family classified as a poor household in my commune and we faced extremely difficult conditions. I lost my father at a young age, since then my mother has had to work tirelessly as a farmer on her own to raise me. She earns a meager and unstable income that is heavily dependent on weather conditions. During the dry season, the land suffers from drought, while prolonged flooding occurs in the rainy season. In recent years, extreme weather conditions, including frequent storms and floods, have caused significant losses in rice and other crops. There were seasons when prices were so low that they did not even cover the costs of fertilizer, pesticides or labor. This year, my mother is 56 years old and frequently falls ill. She requires regular medication and is unable to do heavy labor, making it difficult for our family to manage monthly expenses. Living in an area frequently affected by storms and floods, our old house was unable to withstand natural disasters.
Our already challenging financial situation became even more difficult when I entered university to study Medicine, which comes with high tuition fees of over 26 million VND per year. As a student from a different province, I also have to cover other expenses including rent, living costs, books and study materials. With my demanding academic schedule and limited transportation options, I was unable to find part-time work to help ease the financial burden on my family. This has been a constant source of worry for both my mother and I. During the first semester of the past academic year, my family had to borrow money from relatives to pay my tuition fees. Fortunately, in the second semester, I was blessed to receive support from your scholarship, which greatly alleviated some of our financial difficulties.
When I received the notification about participating in the interview with Lifestart Foundation, I was incredibly surprised and overjoyed that I was fortunate enough to be selected. At the same time, I felt nervous and anxious because it was the first time I had attended an interview where I would have the chance to directly interact with and share my story with Lifestart Foundation. However, during the interview, I felt very comfortable. Ms. Karen and Ms. Nhung created a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, providing every opportunity for me to successfully complete my interview. I was able to confidently tell them about my studies, my family, the challenges I am facing and my future plans. After the interview, I felt extremely grateful for the advice, encouragement and thoughtful insights from Ms. Karen, as well as the valuable lessons I learned throughout the process. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Ms. Karen, Ms. Nhung, Ms. Hien, Ms. Dieu, Ms. Uyen and the Lifestart Foundation for supporting me and my peers in every way, ensuring that our interviews went smoothly and successfully.
When I learned that I had been selected to receive your scholarship, my mother and I were overjoyed, deeply moved and extremely grateful. For my family and I, this scholarship holds immense significance, providing great support to help us address the immediate challenges we face. Thanks to the scholarship, I am able to pay my tuition fees for this semester, allowing me to continue my education and chase my dreams. Additionally, I am able to cover my living expenses including rent, and purchase books, essential tools and supplies needed for my studies. I also plan to improve my diet to ensure I have enough energy for studying and doing daily activities. This scholarship is not just material support but has also encouraged and motivated me. It not only equips me with the means to continue attending university but also eases my financial worries, enabling me to focus entirely on my studies. Moreover, it serves as a driving force for me to strive harder on the road ahead. For my mother, this scholarship is a tremendous relief. It reassures her that my tuition and living expenses are covered, sparing her from overworking herself or seeking loans from various sources to support my education.
Currently, my study schedule is quite intensive. On weekday mornings, I have an internship at Hue Central Hospital, and night duty once or twice a week while also attending classes at university. Through the weeks of clinical practice at the hospital, I have become more confident in communicating with patients and have grown even more passionate about the profession I am pursuing. With my current schedule and the advice from Ms. Karen during my interview, I have had to increase my self-study time to several hours a day to ensure I understand everything I am being taught. In the coming days, I have my end-of-term exams. With the limited time left, this poses a significant challenge for me. Therefore, I plan to temporarily postpone other activities, such as participating in my martial arts club, and dedicate all of my time to studying.
Beyond my studies, I constantly carry the burden of financial pressure, as I rely on my family for financial support. There have been many times when I felt like giving up, but then I think of my mother, who has worked tirelessly to support my education all these years. I think of the expectations of my relatives, teachers, friends and of the future ahead. After the effort I have put in and the challenges I have overcome to reach this point, I must pick myself up and continue moving forward. The motivation that led me to choose my current field of study is my late grandmother. She passed from a stroke, as she was unable to get to the hospital in time and missed the golden hour to save her life. From that moment, I resolved to pursue a career in healthcare to save lives and contribute to society. Knowing the financial challenges associated with studying medicine, I hesitated many times before deciding on this path. However, my teachers encouraged me a great deal, reaching out to support me and even tutoring me without charge. Much of my journey so far has been made possible by the generosity of kind-hearted donors who have always helped me. The love and support of those around me and my struggles to overcome the difficulties I face in life, have been a source of immense inspiration and motivation for me.
As a student in third year at University my primary goal is to excel in my studies. I work hard to continuously increase my knowledge, including studying foreign languages to support both my education and my future career. My more specific goal for the upcoming semesters is to achieve the title of an outstanding student with a GPA of 3.4 to 3.5, which I have worked hard to accomplish in previous semesters. From now on, I will constantly work towards graduating with honors and successfully passing the licensing examination. This will equip me with the skills and qualifications to become an excellent doctor, which is what I have always dreamed of. I hope to work in Quang Ngai to give back to my hometown and to be close enough to take care of my mother’s health and daily needs.
I would like to express my heartfelt and deepest gratitude to Ms. Karen, and the Lifestart Foundation for awarding me this invaluable scholarship. This support has helped my family and me cover tuition fees and living expenses that we were previously unable to manage, ensuring that my studies will not be interrupted. Your generous assistance is like a torch lighting the path for me, giving me hope for the future. Both my mother and I are immensely grateful and appreciative and will always remember the kindness of the sponsor. I promise to use the scholarship funds responsibly to pay for tuition fees, living expenses and other legitimate educational purposes. I will continue to strive and work hard in my studies and in life.
Finally, I would like to sincerely wish Ms. Karen and the team at Lifestart Foundation along with your families, good health, success, peace and happiness. I wish the Lifestart Foundation continued growth and prosperity. Once again, I extend my heartfelt thanks!
Yours sincerely,
Nguyen Thi Minh Huyen