Imagine spending a day with Ms. Le Thi Do, a remarkable mother in Children of Vietnam’s Empowering Foundations for Women & Children (EFWC) program. Her story warms the heart, a gentle reminder of the quiet magic and extraordinary resilience that women carry into everyday life.
Long before dawn brightens Khue Trung Ward, Ms. Do is already up, moving softly through her small home so she won’t wake her two boys. She quietly begins preparing the ingredients for her little breakfast stand, working by the gentle glow of a single light. As morning finally breaks, she heads out to collect trays of bánh bèo, bánh nậm, and bánh gói (Vietnamese rice cakes), some from nearby shops, others lovingly prepared by her friend Ms. Thuy Huong, who is also part of the EFWC program.
These exchanges are more than routine errands; they’re acts of friendship, moments of shared strength between two mothers who understand each other’s struggles. In these early hours, wrapped in the quiet of the neighborhood, one can feel how much these small gestures mean—threads of support woven into the fabric of her everyday life.
“This stand wouldn’t exist without COV,” Ms. Do says with a warm smile. “I met Ms. Huong through it. We’ve got each other’s backs, and it makes everything brighter.”
Her sons, Thanh Lam and Thanh Long, help her set up the family’s modest food stand in front of their home. A few tables, some plastic chairs, a simple glass display case. That’s all. Yet the way Ms. Do talks about it, one would think she was showing you something precious.
“They might seem ordinary,” she reflects, “but to me, they’re treasures, all thanks to Children of Vietnam.”
By mid-morning, everything is sold out. But this is only the beginning of her day. She collects scrap from neighbors to sell for a little extra income. In the afternoons, she takes on house-cleaning jobs to cover meals, electricity, her husband’s medication, and above all, her children’s education.
Her boys are her pride. Lam is thriving in ninth grade; Long is preparing for sixth. With COV’s scholarships and school supplies, they are able to learn without worry, and each achievement fills her with joy.
“My husband isn’t healthy. He lives with an epilepsy-related disability, needs regular treatment, and is unable to work, so he depends on my daily care and support,” she says softly.“So I push myself harder every day. Hearing their teachers praise them, it’s like a hug for my heart.”
The walls of their home are lined with report cards and certificates. Small pieces of paper that shine like badges of hope, marking every step of progress she has fought so hard for.
Now two years into the EFWC program, Ms. Do’s gratitude is heartfelt: “I’m so thankful for COV’s help. From supporting my stand to keeping my boys in school, and even the friends I’ve made through the training classes. It all gives me the spark to keep smiling and moving forward.”
Life is still challenging, but each morning she rises again, steady and determined. Love for her family and the support of COV carry her forward, one small but hopeful step at a time.
And as her day winds down, it leaves one not only emotionally moved but inspired, by the quiet courage, the gentle strength, and the unwavering love of a mother who keeps going, no matter what.