The ceremony took place at the provincial Convention Center in Quy Nhon Ward.
Forty “For the Future of Vietnam” scholarships, each worth 5 million VND (USD 200), were presented to high school students in Hoai Nhon Dong ward and the communes of Phu My Dong, An Luong, De Gi and Cat Tien.
Another 30 “Preventing dropouts” scholarships, 2 million VND (USD 80) each, were given to primary and secondary students in An Nhon Dong and Quy Nhon Dong wards and the communes of Tuy Phuoc Bac and Tuy Phuoc Dong.
Phạm Hồng Hiệp, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of the province and Secretary of the Provincial Youth Union, said many students had suffered damaged homes and disrupted living and learning conditions due to the typhoon.
He said the scholarships aimed to provide both material support and motivation for students to stay committed to their education.
Among the recipients was Nguyễn Thị Xuân Diệu, a 12th-grade student at Ngo Le Tan High School in De Gi commune. Diệu’s family is classified as poor; her father is hearing-impaired with no stable job, while her mother is the sole breadwinner.
Diệu helps by shelling cashew nuts, weaving synthetic rattan and handling household chores. She said the scholarship made her feel “heard and trusted,” adding that she hopes to ease her mother’s burden and support others in similar circumstances.
Ngô Thiên, a 9th grader at Nhon Hoi Secondary School in Quy Nhon Dong ward, also shared his story.
After years of moving between family members, his home was destroyed by Typhoon No. 13, leaving him to seek shelter with relatives. His mother works irregular jobs, from cleaning to fishing.
After receiving a “Preventing dropouts” scholarship and a 5 million VND (USD 200) gift from a benefactor, Thiên said he felt encouraged to continue his education and hopes to become a journalist.
Phạm Thị Thảo Linh of the Tuoi Tre Newspaper Editorial Board said the program worked closely with the Gia Lai Provincial Youth Union and local authorities to visit families and identify students most in need.
She noted that the 30-year-long “For the Future of Vietnam” program has supported generations of students, many of whom have grown up and carried forward its spirit of kindness.
The “For the Future of Vietnam” scholarship is an initiative of Mực Tím Magazine—Tuổi Trẻ Newspaper, supporting high school students since 1995. Since 2013, with the partnership of Bình Điền Fertilizer Joint Stock Company, the program has awarded nearly 5,000 scholarships worth over 11 billion VND to students in the Mekong Delta, Southeast, Central Highlands, South Central, North Central, and northern mountainous provinces. In 2025, “For the Future of Vietnam” will continue to grant 200 scholarships to disadvantaged, high-achieving students in five provinces: Sơn La, Thanh Hóa, Gia Lai, Lâm Đồng, and An Giang.
Since 2019, the program has partnered with the Gia Lai Provincial Youth Union five times, awarding scholarships worth a total of 625 million VND to students in difficult circumstances.
