German-Vietnamese writer Isabelle Muller (centre) is pictured with this year's LOAN Foundation scholarship recipients. Photo courtesy of LOAN Foundation

HÀ NỘI — Fourteen disadvantaged yet determined students from the northern province of Tuyên Quang have received a welcome boost from German-Vietnamese writer Isabelle Muller, who awarded them scholarships through her LOAN Foundation for the 2025-2026 academic year. Each scholarship is worth VNĐ20 million (about US$870).

This year’s recipients include orphans and students from different communes in Tuyên Quang Province, all recognised for their resilience and drive to pursue higher education and build better lives.

They are currently studying at leading universities in Hà Nội and nearby areas, including Foreign Trade University, Hà Nội University of Science and Technology and Việt Nam National University.

At an intimate ceremony held in Hà Nội on October 5, the students shared their happiness and gratitude for the support, which they said would help them continue their studies and achieve their goals.

Thò Thị Pà is pictured with writer Isabelle Muller. Photo courtesy of LOAN Foundation

One of them is Thò Thị Pà, a third-year student majoring in Literature at Hà Nội University of Education. Hailing from a poor village in Mèo Vạc, Tuyên Quang Province, Pà is the eldest of six siblings. Her mother passed away shortly after giving birth to the youngest child and her father works as a day labourer, facing unstable employment. Despite these numerous hardships, Pà remains determined to pursue her dream of becoming a good teacher, contributing to her hometown.

“Thanks to the LOAN Foundation scholarship, I have reduced my financial burden and have the opportunity to take English courses to enhance my expertise. I use part of the scholarship for living expenses and to purchase my specialised textbooks,” Pà said.

Đường Khôi Nguyên from Hà Nội University of Science and Technology, who has received the scholarship for the third year, said it had truly changed his life.

“It has given me a chance to focus on my studies and worry less about financial problems. It has also motivated me to move forward to learn and give back to the community in the future,” he added.

Muller said she was filled with immense joy to witness the students’ development, knowing that the scholarship would help change their future forever.

“They will always remember this experience and aspire to give back once they achieve their goals. It brings me great happiness to see them working hard to reach their dreams,” the writer said.

"Most of the alumni I’ve seen have secured great jobs and new opportunities to build their careers. It's wonderful to know they can earn their own money and shape their futures as they wish. They also carry gratitude in their hearts for what they received and I am confident they will continue the cycle of love initiated by this scholarship."

LOAN Foundation (LOAN Stiftung) is a private charity established by Muller in 2016. One of the main goals of the foundation is to support ethnic minority children in the most remote and impoverished areas of Việt Nam where few charitable organisations or individuals have ventured. The foundation aims to provide access to education and create favourable learning and living conditions for these children, ultimately helping them to secure a better future.

Besides construction projects, LOAN Stiftung runs the 'LOAN Stiftung Education Scholarship' and 'LOAN Stiftung Financial Scholarship' programmes designed to provide prompt and practical financial assistance to those in urgent need, such as during natural disasters and epidemics.

These scholarships are not only sustainable and long-term but also aim to ensure that orphans and disadvantaged children have access to basic living conditions. Furthermore, they support students with potential and strong academic abilities who face financial challenges, empowering them to complete their high school and university education.

Over the past nine years, the LOAN Foundation has implemented 48 projects across eight provinces in Việt Nam – Tuyên Quang, Cao Bằng, Sơn La, Điện Biên, Lào Cai and Hà Tĩnh. The total investment in these projects amounts to US$1,774,160.25, which has facilitated the construction of 28 boarding houses, libraries and schools.

Additionally, 5,000 children have received direct assistance and 401 students have been awarded scholarships from 2016 to the present. Another 44 orphans have found sponsors in Germany. Beyond this, hundreds of households and thousands of local residents have indirectly benefited from construction projects supported by the LOAN Foundation, resulting in improved living conditions.

The foundation was honoured as an inspiring project by the Human Act Prize in 2023.

German-Vietnamese writer Isabelle Muller. Photo courtesy of LOAN Foundation

Müller was born on May 25, 1964, in Tours, France, as the youngest of five children of a Vietnamese mother and a French father. She is now based in Germany.

Five of her books have been published in Việt Nam, including Just a Heartbeat Away from You, two children’s books – Hip Hop in the Land of Ellsaby and Hip Hop and the Golden Forest – and in particular two bestselling biographies – Phoenix Daughter – Hope Was My Path and Loan – From the Life of a Phoenix. All the royalties from Müller’s books are donated to the LOAN Foundation. VNS