At 22, Hoang Thi Mu is in her final year of Landscape Design at Guangxi Arts University, where she is now focused on her graduation project, set to be defended in June 2025.
From Na Ca Village in Bao Lam District, a mountainous area bordering China, Mu is not only planning her own career but also shaping her future with her siblings in mind. “I never thought I would go this far,” Mu said.
A tragic childhood
One day in July 2010, Mu, her mother, and her three younger siblings were returning from her grandparents’ house.
To get home, they had to cross the Gam River on a raft. Heavy rains had caused the river to swell and flow fiercely. The strong currents overturned the raft, and Mu’s mother and one of her siblings were swept away.
In the dark, isolated waters, Mu clung to one brother and carried her youngest on her back, crying out in fear. After a local rescuer arrived, they were taken back home. Tragically, her mother and sibling were later declared dead.
The loss of his wife and child sent Mu’s father into a spiral of grief and alcoholism, leaving him unable to care for his children. At just 9 years old, Mu became the sole caretaker for her five-month-old and six-year-old brothers.
Surviving on corn, rice, and garden vegetables, Mu learned how to manage the household by observing her late mother. At night, when her youngest brother cried for milk, she made thin corn porridge to feed him, sometimes letting him cry himself to sleep when she couldn’t comfort him.
“I did everything by instinct,” Mu recalled.
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Nine-year-old Hoang Thi Mu and her two younger brother, six years old and five months old, at their home in Cao Bang Province. Photo courtesy of Mu |
Support from the community
At the time, Vy Thi My had just become the principal of Na Ca Primary School, where teachers often had to convince students to attend class, as many families kept their children home to help with housework and farming.
In Mu’s case, My and other teachers suggested she bring her brothers to school, as there was no one to care for them.
“Mu was petite but tough and agile. Every day, she strapped one sibling to her back and carried the other as they walked two kilometers uphill to school,” recalled My, now chairwoman of the Bao Lam District Study Promotion Association.
Each day, Mu woke up at 5-6 a.m. to prepare food for her brothers before heading to school. Teachers often brought extra breakfast for the three children, taking turns to care for the youngest while Mu focused on her lessons.
Recalling the school’s lack of a canteen at the time, My explained how the teachers pooled their resources to prepare meals for the children, ensuring they had lunch and encouraging them to attend school regularly.
Mu considered her teachers as family, always turning to them when faced with difficulties in caring for her siblings. The kindness of those around her gave her the strength to continue her education.
Hoang Van Sung, the head of Na Ca Village, said, “Everyone admired Mu’s determination. It’s rare to find someone like her.”
A path to education
After her father passed away when Mu was 13, she and her brothers were cared for by Principal My for a while before being moved to a social protection center nearly 200 km away in Cao Bang Province.
“I didn’t want to leave, but staying at home meant there was no one to support us. At the center, we had food, shelter, guidance, and many friends,” Mu recalled.
Determined to build a better future for herself and her siblings, Mu made a vow to attend college. Initially, she aspired to study law at Hanoi Law University. However, during her final year of high school, she learned about a scholarship opportunity in Guangxi Province. She applied and won a full five-year scholarship.
Mu initially studied Cultural Management but was later switched to Landscape Design based on the school’s arrangement. With no prior experience in art or design, she struggled to keep up with the coursework.
“I didn’t even know how to use design software or a computer properly. Many technical terms in Chinese were confusing, and group presentations were particularly difficult,” she said.
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Hoang Thi Mu wears Vietnamese ao dai as she attends an event at Guangxi Arts University, Nov. 10, 2024. Photo coutersy of Mu |
Encouraged by her former teacher, My, Mu self-studied using online resources and recorded lectures, seeking help from lecturers and friends. Slowly, she adapted and began achieving scores of 80/100 or higher, with her highest being 98/100 in Chinese.
Though far from home, Mu stays in regular contact with her siblings, who remain at the center. Her second brother is now in Japan, working through a government program after finishing high school, and the youngest is in 8th grade, dreaming of becoming a chef.
“I’ve always wanted to create a normal family atmosphere for them,” Mu shared, cherishing the times they reunite during the Lunar New Year or summer breaks.
After graduation, Mu plans to work in Hanoi, earn a teaching certificate to teach Chinese, and eventually reunite with her family. “I want to settle down quickly so I can bring all my siblings home,” she said.