Just over a month after the start of each new school year, scholarships from Tan Son Nhat Airport Services Joint Stock Company (SASCO) are delivered to orphaned school pupils and students. For the past 5 years, these scholarships have become a bridge connecting the hearts of SASCO, Thanh Nien Newspaper, and the families of these children.

THE PRINCIPAL’S LETTER

Looking back on the days in mid-September 2021, when Ho Chi Minh City announced information about many orphaned children whose fathers, mothers, or both parents and relatives had died from Covid-19 infection, the entire community was deeply shocked. Understanding this painful situation, on September 16, 2021, Thanh Nien Newspaper launched the “Continuing the Journey of Life with Children” program, calling on the community to join hands and contribute to supporting disadvantaged children. Soon after, the program received messages of support from readers across the country via email, sharing and offering assistance to the children, including a letter from Ms. Huynh Thi Tuyet Hoa, former Principal of Le Van Tho Primary School in Tan Thoi Hiep Ward, Ho Chi Minh City. In her letter dated September 24, 2021, she wrote: “The Board of Management of Le Van Tho Primary School was deeply moved when reading the deeply humane appeal from Thanh Nien Newspaper through the “Continuing the Journey of Life with Children” program. These words of appeal came from a heart that empathizes with those whose lives have fallen into heartbreaking and desperate circumstances. But the most painful of all are the children who have lost their fathers or mothers at such a young age, before they even know how to name the losses they carry with them. As they enter the new school year, they no longer have their fathers or mothers by their side to care for them like other children. From this point on, painful losses continue to weigh heavily on their lives...”. She then expressed her feelings: “How will these children continue their lives if there are no kind-hearted people and community support? The thoughts of those who are directly teaching them so that they can gain sufficient knowledge, skills, and preparation for the journey ahead are also very heavy...”. Accompanying the letter was a list of 6 students from grades 2 to 5 at the school who had fallen into these harsh and difficult circumstances.

Journalist Nguyen Ngoc Toan and SASCO leaders presented the first scholarships to school pupils and students at the signing ceremony on November 9, 2021.

Around the same time, the program also received a list of 12 orphaned school pupils and students with similar circumstances from the former Ward 6, Tan Binh District Study Promotion Association (now Tan Hoa Ward, Ho Chi Minh City), requesting assistance. The list of children orphaned by Covid-19 in Ho Chi Minh City was then continuously updated by the program over the following months...

AND A BRIDGE CONNECTING HEARTS

Against this backdrop, on the morning of October 10, 2021, journalist Nguyen Ngoc Toan, Secretary of the Party Committee and Editor-in-Chief of Thanh Nien Newspaper (at that time, Deputy Editor-in-Chief in charge), and Ms. Nguyen Minh Ngoc, former Deputy General Director of SASCO, personally visited the former Ward 6, Tan Binh District and former Tan Thoi Hiep Ward, District 12 to visit, encourage, and present emergency scholarships to orphaned children. One month later, on November 9, 2021, at the Thanh Nien Newspaper office, SASCO and the families of 25 school pupils and students, including the 18 children mentioned above and 7 children from the former Go Vap District, signed an agreement for the children to receive annual scholarships from the company. Each school pupil received VND 5 million and each student received VND 10 million, continuing until they completed their respective educational programs.

SASCO leaders presented emergency scholarships on the morning of October 10, 2021, to students of Le Van Tho Primary School.

Since then, every new school year, we have coordinated with SASCO to complete the necessary procedures so that the scholarships can be promptly delivered to each sponsored child. This is a story of humanity, because the timely support and sharing of a company with orphaned children and their families, most of whom continue to face very difficult circumstances, especially after the pandemic, carries great significance. As recently as last July, when we visited Mr. Doan Danh Tru and his daughter Doan Nha Khanh in Tan Hoa Ward, he said emotionally: “The care and support from Thanh Nien Newspaper and SASCO since the days following the pandemic have helped and encouraged my daughter and me tremendously. In particular, SASCO’s annual scholarship has encouraged Nha Khanh and other young children to always strive to study hard and achieve good results, making us feel very warm and grateful!”.

And through this bridge, so much love between people like us who organize the program, SASCO, and the families of the children has been shared and nurtured. In addition to providing scholarships, on holidays, Tet, or Mid-Autumn Festival..., SASCO and we continue to connect, visit, and give gifts to the children while following their progress in their studies.

And so, this journey of love continues through the days ahead.

SASCO Youth Union presented gifts for Children’s Day 2025 to Doan Nha Khanh, residing in Tan Hoa Ward, Ho Chi Minh City.

SASCO Youth Union presented a gift to Dinh Nguyen Quynh Hoa (Tan Hoa Ward, Ho Chi Minh City) after she was admitted to university in October 2025.