In a quiet home tucked away in Da Nang, 7th grader Pham Nguyen Truong Quy lives with his father and grandmother. His parents are separated, and his family often faces financial uncertainty. Yet what surrounds Quy isn’t scarcity. It’s love, responsibility, and a quiet strength that reveals itself in everything he does.
“Quy is a kind boy,” his grandmother, Mrs. Thi Doan, says with a soft smile. “He never needs reminding. After school, he helps cook, cleans the house, and always thinks of others before himself.”
This thoughtfulness isn’t something Quy wears loudly—it’s simply who he is. He finds inspiration in books like How to Be Kind by Bernadette Russell, stories that remind him that small acts of compassion—toward others and toward oneself—can ripple far beyond what we see. “Kindness may be small,” he says, “but it spreads.”
His dreams are built on that same spirit. Quy hopes to one day work in hospitality, greeting travelers from around the world and making them feel at home. “I want to work in a hotel so I can speak English and help people,” he says, eyes bright with possibility.
But his determination isn’t confined to dreams alone—it shows in his actions. In 6th grade, Quy trained hard and won third place in a school-level team swimming competition, a quiet but powerful testament to his perseverance. “He never tries to outshine anyone,” his father, Mr. Hong Thach, shares. “He just wants to grow, to do his best.”
Children of Vietnam (COV) has had the privilege of walking beside Quy on this journey. Beyond providing educational support, COV’s life skills classes helped Quy gain confidence, teamwork, and self-belief. “Those classes made me feel stronger,” he says. “They helped me believe that I can keep moving forward.”
Quy is exactly the kind of child we strive to support at Children of Vietnam—not just children who need help, but children who rise above their circumstances with resilience, humility, and heart. Children who choose compassion, even when life gives them every reason to close off.
For Quy, kindness is not a strategy—it’s a way of being. And from that kindness, a hopeful future is already unfolding.