Như

Như (left) and I after volunteering. Photo by Jean Onison. Taken 05/30/15.

      It was about six in the morning and my friend Jean and I arrived in Ho Chi Minh from a long twelve hour bus ride from Nha Trang. Groggy and tired, we stop by quickly to our hotel to freshen up before we head out. A few days prior, I had decided to spend my last day in Vietnam volunteering in the food kitchen located in the Tân Phú district where I had spent the last two weeks of my time there. Greeted by smiles of the local volunteers, students, and workers that work there, we got started on prepping food and setting up the restaurant. Amidst all the chaos, there was a young girl who was volunteering that I have never met before; a girl of nine or ten years old. Her name is Như. Like any kid who meets a stranger for the first time, she is shy and reserved but after Jean and I constantly communicate, smile, and joke around with her, she eventually got out of her shell and offerings of friendship were made through smiles and gestures of sharing her melted strawberry Pocky sticks with us. In Vietnam, school runs from Monday to Saturday. Whether it be a weekday or Saturday, many children can be seen on the streets typically near tourist attractions trying to sell souvenirs or street food to tourists. The main reason these children are not in school are because their families cannot afford it. Shortly after, we were about to learn about Như's story.

      After finishing our volunteer shift, Jean and I head out with a co-volunteer named Michelle and Như to a coffee shop next door to grab a drink. Because Như did not speak English, Michelle was our translator for any questions we had for Như. Our curiosity on Như grew. We wanted to converse and know more about her and why she was volunteering. We asked and our questions were answered through the help of Michelle who translated Như's words.

     Years ago when Như was younger, her house caught fire and with it, important documentation including birth certificates for her and her siblings burned were lost in the fire. These birth certificates were significant as it allowed Như and her siblings to attend school and served as proof for their identity. A couple of years shortly after, Như's two younger brothers were kidnapped. They were found by the police but were not returned to Như's parents as they no longer had their birth certificates to prove they were their parents. As a result, Như's brothers were sent to an orphanage where they would not be released until they were eighteen years old. At present, Như's parents are divorced and she lives with her mother and stepfather. As her mother is busy working during the day, there is no one to take care of Như so she goes to volunteer at the food kitchen and attends classes there after. After the food kitchen closes up, it is reopened a few hours later as a school for kids who cannot afford to go to school. The small classes teach students basic literacy skills such as reading and writing. Như cannot attend school as she has no longer has her birth certificate to provide the school. A replicate can be made but it is not something the family can afford.

     Hearing Như's story had an impact on me because I know especially in a developing nation such as Vietnam, education is the most valued, powerful tool anyone can have to lift themselves out of poverty and improve their quality of life. It is hard to visualize the future Như and many other children who have similar stories and backgrounds to not have that chance at having an education. Had I chosen not to volunteer that day, I would not have met Như nor have heard her story. It is one in many stories that will stick with me. It empowers me to take action on issues like these. It's one thing to learn about people struggling to earn a living and barely supporting themselves or their families basic needs but its another to actually witness it and meet these hardworking people. It's just one of those humble reminders how fortunate and blessed we are to have what we have.