Nutritious meals to fuel dreams

At 11 a.m., after finishing a revision session, boarding students from Phan Đình Giót High School (Điện Biên Phủ city) return to their dorms, drop off their books, and head to the courtyard where tables and chairs are set. They each receive a tray of hearty, nutritious food- meals that provide crucial support during these intensive study days.

This meal program, running from June 1 to 28 (the end of the exam period), is a volunteer initiative led by Facebook users Hoài Nguyễn and Phạm Thanh Hà. Students are provided with four meals a day: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a late-night snack, featuring diverse, balanced menus. Light meals may include sticky rice, porridge, or bread with milk; main dishes range from braised pork, stir-fried beef, and caramelized shrimp to minced pork soup, tofu in tomato sauce, boiled vegetables, and fresh fruit.

All food is prepared by volunteers, teachers, and underclassmen at the school. The daily cost to feed 118 students is approximately VND 9 million.

Although Phan Đình Giót High School is located in an urban area, many of its students come from ethnic minority communities in remote, mountainous districts. Most belong to low-income or near-poor households. After the academic year ends, these students are no longer eligible for state-funded boarding support, putting extra pressure on families and schools to ensure they are well-fed and healthy ahead of the exam.

Lê Thị Thu Hà, Vice Principal of Phan Đình Giót High School, explained: “This year, 118 students will sit the graduation exam. Once the school year ends, all students, including day students, move into the dorms to study intensively. The food support provided by benefactors has been timely and essential. It allows our students to focus entirely on their studies and approach the exam with confidence.”

Among the beneficiaries is Hạng Thị Kía, a 12C9 student from Sa Dung commune, Điện Biên Đông district. She shared emotionally: “I’m the eldest of four siblings. My parents are farmers, and life is hard. My parents have worked extremely hard to support the education of all four of us. During the school year, state support helps with food and living expenses, so I rarely ask my parents for money. But continuing to revise at school after the year ends was a worry for us. Thankfully, we’re being supported with meals until the exam finishes. The food is always plentiful and delicious. I’m doing my best to succeed and hope to study early childhood education at Hanoi National University of Education.”

In addition to Phan Đình Giót High School, Hoài Nguyễn has also been coordinating support for 132 boarding students at Mường Luân High School (Điện Biên Đông district), providing two main meals a day at a cost of around VND 5 million /day, excluding rice which the school supplies.

Gifts that uplift

Ahead of the exam, the Điện Biên provincial Department of Education and Training instructed schools to identify students in financial difficulty to ensure no one misses the test due to lack of funds. This year, over 1,300 students province-wide have been flagged for support.

Chà Cang High School (Nậm Pồ district) has compiled a list of 25 disadvantaged students and launched a financial aid appeal letter for the “Exam season support” program. Bùi Văn Ịu, Secretary of the school’s Youth Union, shared: “We have 197 students taking the exam. Many come from challenging backgrounds. We’re calling on agencies, businesses, and benefactors to join us in supporting our students, especially with essentials like milk, snacks, and drinks.”

High schools in Điện Biên district have also made concerted efforts to mobilize support for students taking the graduation exam, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, through the involvement of various organizations and community groups.

Quàng Thị Tuyết, Deputy Secretary of the Điện Biên district Youth Union, said: “Based on information provided by the schools, the district Youth Union collaborated with the district’s Red Cross to deliver support to six high schools in the area. Each school received five boxes of milk to help students maintain their nutrition during the exam preparation period, along with five scholarships (valued at VND 500,000 each) for students facing financial hardship. We hope that although the gifts are small, they will serve as encouragement and motivation for the students to overcome difficulties and achieve strong results.”

In late May, the provincial Fund for the poor allocated over VND 392 million to support disadvantaged students taking the 2025 exam. A total of 1,307 students received VND 300,000 each to help cover exam-related expenses.

These collective efforts, large and small, are a powerful show of solidarity. They help pave the way for students to pursue their academic dreams, starting with the milestone that is the high school graduation exam.