Recently, Center for Ecconomics Development Studies (CEDS), VNU University of Economics and Business together with Erik Schultz – Founder of Interhands Scholarship and his family had meetings with students receiving scholarships in 2014, 2015 and had selection interviews for 2016.
On October 29th 2016, Erik Schultz’s family met Giang A Nga and Sung Thi Chua - 2 students receiving Interhands scholarship in 2014. In 2016, they passed the national entrance exam and became freshmen of their dream universities.
Chua is now studying at International Law Department of Hanoi Open University. Nga is following Rural Development at Vietnam National University of Agriculture.
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Launched since 2014, Interhands Scholarship Fund (Norway), which CEDS is coordinating partner, aims at supporting all the learning and living costs for Sapa ethnic high school students. The scholarship helps them to continue their study, orient jobs and support for their university entrance exam.
In 2014, two Mong ethnic students in Sapa 1 High school received the scholarships. In 2015, Interhands continuously selected 7 Mong ethnic eleventh grade students to support
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The students expressed their deep gratitude for receiving help from Interhands and Interhands’ people. Though there are a lot of differences and difficulties, they quickly integrated into a totally new environment within 2 months by their great effort.
After the meeting with 2 students in Hanoi, Interhands representatives and CEDS staff went to Sapa and met 7 students receiving scholarship in 2015. All of them determined to learn hard, pass the entrance exam and continue learning at university then come back to build their own community.
During the Sapa visit, Interhands and CEDS representative also had a meeting with school management board of Sapa 1 High school as well as conducted interviews with two eleventh-grade students: Ma Thi La and Thao A Su. They are both Mong ethnic with difficult circumstances. However, they are always dynamic at school activities and have good academic performance.
Erik Schultz’s family together with Giang A Nga and Sung Thi Chua in Hanoi
Teacher Nguyen Trung Son - Interhands Scholarship assistant at Sapa emphasized: “With their dynamic characteristics and strong effort, I hope and I believe that they will pass the entrance exam then come back to work at Sapa. That will positively change people awareness in the community where they live then create motivations for other students to learn hard and strive for universities.”
Ms. Mai Thi Hoa, Vice-principal of Sapa 1 High school shared that ethnic students in Sapa must face with many challenges if they want to study further, especially with financial problems. She also expressed her gratitude to Interhands Scholarship for timely and comprehensive supports which motivate students to study and then back to serve their hometown.
The memorable visits ended but CEDS-Interhands journey will continue and open more opportunities for ethnic students in Sapa.