Meet Our LSEE Scholars from Vietnam
Tiep
Graphic Designer, Vietnam
Our first scholar, Tiep from Hue City, Vietnam, is 33 and has the drive to build a career in Graphic Design. Tiep’s life was put on hold when left paralyzed from a work related injury. Depressed from this tragedy, he became a burden on his parents, who are humble farmers. He never gave up his dream of earning a decent living and soon adapted to teaching himself a new trade that relies on his strengths. Now that he has started to pull in a small income from graphic design, he is ready to take his education to the next level and attend more computer courses at HueCIT, a local technology related university. The entire cost to attend his first 3 month course is $591. He has graduated successfully from his first course and is currently enrolled in a second one. His course was paused slightly due to health, but now he is back studying again.
Our distribution partner, Nhung, mentors and supports Tiep and checks in on him regularly. Nhung recently had this to say,
"Tiep told me that he is truly blessed to have a good chance to study this useful course which he never dreamt of learning. Actually, his teachers are very dedicated and helpful so it is more comfortable for him to ask questions as well as to have an insight into the knowledge and to be more creative in giving his ideas. Furthermore, he feels excited to attend his class because each class time his teachers stay more focused on practicing. Tiep shared that this is the most effective way to help him to enhance his knowledge and skill. He has learned a lot of things since he took part in this course. Now he can edit photos, retouch product photos, images from raster to vector. Additionally, he can design logos, name cards, detailed illustrations, leaflets, advertising poster images and some various advertisements related to graphic designing. Tiep will try his best to study so that he can complete his course as planned."
Tiep is the first student to attend this university in a wheelchair and the multi-story building has no elevators. He amazes and inspires us with his dedication and positive attitude towards learning useful trade knowledge despite his challenges to equal access. He pushes above and beyond in his leadership and has already broke ground for mobility-related disabilities by asking the university to move their class from the 2nd floor to the 1st. The University Administration and Professors have responded graciously by carrying his wheelchair up the entrance steps and ensuring he has access to the courses he desires. He has a long road ahead of him, but because of LSEE the journey has grown into new potential and possibilities.
​
​
Phoc
Computer Programmer, Vietnam
​
Phuoc is a scholar. He is 24 years old. His family
have been humble rice farmers for generations. He
has 4 siblings. Twelve years ago, Phuoc was in a
traffic accident and damaged his spinal cord. His
legs are paralyzed. He often considered committing
suicide. Phuoc’s parents gave Phuoc’s siblings small
parcels of land to farm. The family looked down on
Phuoc. Rather than providing Phuoc with land, his
parents took him in to live with them.
Phuoc taught himself basic computer skills on computers around the neighborhood. He learned how to install networks and run basic software. Our Vietnam partner (Giving it Back to Kids) recognized Phuoc’s potential and encouraged him to apply to LSEE for a scholarship. His dream was to take an intensive six-month course in web programming. Phuoc was Phuoc, Ha Trung District accepted, but lacked the $1,700 needed for the course tuition and a computer. LSEE awarded him this amount. He is taking the course remotely from his home. He is halfway through the course, learning HTML, CSS, and JAVA Script. He already has a job offer. Since this turnaround, his parents provided a small parcel of land for him to build a home. Once he starts working, he will be able to earn enough money to build it. He may make more money than his entire family, combined!
Tam
Graphic Designer, Vietnam
Tam is a 17 year old Graphic Designer living in Thanh Hoa City, Vietnam, with her parents and two younger siblings. She was born with celebral palsy and is unable to use her arms and hands. FWM donated her wheelchair and she also recieved a donated computer from our distribution partner, Giving it Back to the Kids. Tam has graduated a basic computing course and loves reading & studying computer science. Her career goal is to work online as a Freelance Graphic Designer. This allows her to work from home since she can't propel her wheelchair on her own.
​
​
Tam is truly a remarkable and talented young woman, driven with a passion to be defined by her strengths. She has taught herself all this using her feet to use the computer, and doesn't let her inability to use her arms and hands keep her back from excelling in this career.
Our distribution partner, Nhung with Giving it Back to the Kids (GIBTK), assists and mentors Tam as she completes her scholarship. Nhung has this to update us with regarding her progress.
"Tam started learning an online course about Photoshop in the middle of June, 2019 and she just finished it in the first week of July. According to her teacher, she is a quick learner and diligent. She is confident to ask questions if she does not understand. She enjoyed learning this online course very much because her teacher was dedicated and helpful. He was very enthusiastic to show her basic steps so that she could have a deeper understanding about lessons she learned. After class, she practices at home by doing more homework from her teacher and watching more videos. She thinks this is the best way for her to broaden the knowledge and improve her skills. GIBTK enrolled her in another course on Adobe Photoshop which started in the middle of July, 2019."
"I’m careful and hardworking, eager to learn and love working with others. It's easy for me to adapt in the working environment. I am friendly and love helping others.
I love learning on multimedia and designing."
​
Tam, LSEE Scholar
​
