By Chau Doan
Communication Manager
Room to Read in Vietnam
High in the misty mountains of Tủa Chùa, a rural district of Điện Biên province in the Northwest region of Vietnam, lives Lo Diem Thuy, a petite Grade 5 student passionate about stories. Though quiet and reserved, her eyes hold an entire world, one she discovers and expands through books. Thanks to the benefits of Room to Read’s literacy programming, Thuy now has access to a library filled with stories, in both Vietnamese and English, that open windows to thrilling new places and experiences lived far beyond the village mountaintops.
"I love individual reading time the most, when it's quiet, just me and the stories," she shared with me when I visited the school's library earlier this year. "I can imagine myself eating baguettes in France, being one of the veiled girls walking on the wealthy streets of Dubai, or riding a bicycle to visit golden temples in Thailand."
Thuy’s school library offers both books and opportunities for library leadership. Thuy is an active member of her school's Student Reading Guide team, through which she helps her classmates and younger children discover the joy of discovering new books in the library, and checking them out to take home. Her teacher Tran Thi Kim Dung noted that "Thuy's attentiveness and meticulousness make her an excellent guide. She is always gentle and thoughtful when helping younger children choose books, and she offers excellent support to the librarian."
At home, Thuy’s days are full of responsibility. Her mother recently welcomed a new baby, so Thuy often takes on cooking and childcare duties in addition to her schoolwork. Yet, even after finishing chores, she always finds time to return to her books, continuing to nurture her curiosity and imagination.
Her dreams are simple, yet powerful: "I hope to study well so my parents won’t have to work so hard," she told me. "I want my mother and baby sibling to stay healthy, and for our whole family to always be happy."
Every story Thuy reads strengthens her literacy skills and her sense of possibility. With library shelves filled with diverse stories in multiple languages, Thuy has the chance to imagine — and one day achieve — a future that stretches far beyond the mountain village she calls home.
Supporters like you make this possible. Your generosity ensures children like Thuy around the world can open books and doors to brighter futures.
You might also be interested in...
Growing up in different ways: Reflections from Girls’ Education Program alumnae in Vietnam
In a residential school in Vietnam, children find comfort in evening visits to the library
Chau Doan, Communication Manager, Room to Read in Vietnam
