12 Years for a Tet Celebration
The most challenging moment in my life:
The most difficult moment in my life was when my father passed away. At that time, my older sister was in college, my younger sister had just started her first year of secondary school, and I was in grade 7 and was undergoing asthma treatment. My family also had a loan of around 70 million VND. My mother sold sticky rice on the street, but her income was not enough to cover our family’s expenses.
Because of that, I decided to drop out of school to earn money and support my family. In the mornings, I worked as a server at a Pho shop. At lunchtime, I washed dishes, and in the afternoon, I served at a noodle shop for around 30,000 VND. Sometimes I also sold lottery tickets on the street.
During that time, I began to realize that my life should not continue that way. When I looked around, many teenagers around me had children at a very young age (Even pregnant at 15) and struggled to find stable work. I noticed that those who had better lives usually shared one thing: education. I started to think about my old school and remembered my dream of becoming a psychologist. I asked myself, what if? What would my life — and my family’s life — look like if I had a stable job with a medium or high income? That thought became my motivation to go back to school.
However, when I decided to return to school, my mother had already moved to Da Lat to work at a tourist rest stop. Because of that, from grade 8 to grade 10, after finishing school each day, I worked as a server at a milk tea shop until 11 p.m. Since I have asthma, in grade 11, I changed jobs and became a tutor for a family instead of continuing to work as a server. But things were still not easy. In grade 12, to earn more money and prepare for university, I worked both as a tutor and returned to my old milk tea shop job as a server.
My journey to SM:
My journey to SM began when I was in university. At that time, I was looking for a scholarship to help support my family. Because of COVID-19, my mother’s job became unstable, and my income from tutoring was not enough to support us. That was when I decided to apply to LSMSE.
I still remember my interview very clearly. I was sitting in a small rented room with my laptop in front of me. During the interview, interviewers asked why my favorite hobby was playing games. I told him that it was because I did not really have anyone to share my feelings with. My family’s background made it difficult for them to understand my inner struggles. They did not really know what stress or depression was. It’s not a safe place for me to share sensitive thoughts. Because of that, playing games became one way for me to release stress. It also helped me relax and think more logically.
My connection with LSMSE grew even stronger during a gathering meeting. For the first time in my life, I shared my deepest and most sensitive thoughts with others. I cried a lot that day, actually, we cried together. In that moment, I allowed myself to be vulnerable instead of pretending to be strong. I was able to open up about some of the darkest moments in my life—things that had haunted me for a long time and that I had never told anyone before, not even my family. That experience changed something in me. It led me to make an important decision: I wanted to become a source of support for others and give back to LSMSE, which had supported me like a family.
Today, I serve as a team leader in LSMSE. One of the things that makes me happiest—and that truly shapes who I am—is being able to support other members. I love the feeling of helping them through their struggles, whether it is with studying or with their mental health.
Where am I today?
Today, the achievement I am most proud of is bringing my mother home to celebrate a real Tet after nearly 12 years. For many years, my family struggled financially, and our debt even grew during COVID 19. But eventually, I was able to pay off my mother’s debt. She kept texting and calling me, full of excitement and happiness, because she was finally going home to celebrate Tet with the family. It was a Tet that she had waited for 12 long years to experience again.
My next goal is to help my younger sister return to school. She dropped out when she was in grade 9. I have been encouraging her and helping her change her mindset about education and her future. The first step we are taking is learning English. During the day, she works at a fruit shop, and in the evenings she studies English. Her dream is to study graphic design, and one day, I will make that dream come true so she can have a better life.
My final goal is to study psychology and become a psychologist. However, I chose to study International Business because it offers better job opportunities and allows me to support my family first. Once my family’s situation is stable, I will start to pursue my dream and study psychology.
Studying is not the fastest or easiest way to succeed. But for me, success simply means changing my life and my family’s life. Education helps me develop a better mindset and a better social circle, and it builds a more stable future. Without studying, I would not have connected with LSMSE and SM or come this far. Everything started to change with the way I think and the steps I take.
Lê Kim Toả
Risk Management Senior Officer | TechComBank
LSMSE Recipient and Leader