Trương Hòa Bình, former Deputy Prime Minister, gives away scholarships to poor school students in Long An Province’s Đức Hòa District. - Photo nld.com.vn

LONG AN – Six hundred disadvantaged school students in Đức Hòa District in Long An Province received scholarships on July 13.

Người Lao Động newspaper gave away 100 of the scholarships of VNĐ1 million (US$42.3) each from the “Scholarships to support ethnic minority and poor students” programme founded by former Deputy Prime Minister Trương Hòa Bình, which it now administers.

The rest were provided by benefactors like such as Indochina Real Estate Investment and Trading JSC, Nhật Nam Environmental Construction Exploitation Co.,Ltd., Hưởng Thanh Bình Trading Construction Co., Ltd., and others.

The newspaper's deputy editor-in-chief, Bùi Thanh Liêm, said the programme had been carried out across the country and is in Long An for a fourth time.

He hoped businesses would continue to support it, contributing to the students' education and Việt Nam’s future.

Nguyễn Hoài Thương, a 10th grade student in the district's Hậu Nghĩa high school, said his family is in difficult circumstances since his mother is sick and cannot work.

His father, a bricklayer without a steady income, is the sole breadwinner, and his older sister is studying at The Industrial University of Hồ Chí Minh City, he said.

Many other students face a similar plight and need help from society, he said.

The chairman of the district People's Committee, Lê Thành Phong, said Đức Hòa has more students than other districts in Long An, with most people being farmers and low-income workers.

Many face difficult circumstances, especially after COVID-19, he said.

The district has been soliciting assistance and donations from the community to enable children to continue going to school. - VNS