Today, Dr. H’Linh Hmok (born 1987), a lecturer at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), still considers herself fortunate - even for the days she went to school hungry. Those hardships forged in her a strong will and ambition to break free from poverty.

Never once had new clothes for the first day of school

Born in the small town of Ea Drang (Ea H’leo District, Dak Lak Province), H’Linh was the youngest of four children in a family struggling with poverty. Despite the challenges, she never once thought of giving up school.

Without money to buy notebooks, she would collect used ones from older students in her neighborhood, stitching together the blank pages to create new notebooks. Throughout her school years, she never had new clothes to wear on the first day of school.

By the time she reached sixth grade, she spent her summer vacations pulling weeds, picking coffee, and washing dishes at local noodle shops to save money for school supplies. No matter what job she took on, she always found time to study.

“During primary and middle school, I lacked almost everything, but I never felt miserable. I remember on Teachers' Day (November 20), some teachers, knowing my situation, gave me new notebooks and kind words of encouragement. Those gestures made me feel seen and loved, which motivated me to keep trying,” she recalled.

Thanks to her academic efforts, H’Linh passed the entrance exam to N’Trang Long Boarding High School for Ethnic Minorities. Her time there felt like the beginning of a new life. As an Ede ethnic minority student, she received free tuition and meals, along with a monthly stipend of 160,000 VND (around 7 USD at the time).

“I am forever grateful for those years. I no longer had to worry about food or school supplies. That school ignited a burning desire within me for a brighter future. It was there that I realized education is the shortest path out of poverty.”

H’Linh excelled in physics, winning provincial awards in the subject, which led her to pursue a degree in Physics Education at Tay Nguyen University. Her outstanding academic performance soon earned her a full six-year scholarship from the Department of International Cooperation (Ministry of Education and Training) to study language and physics at the University of Havana in Cuba.

This unexpected opportunity came just as tragedy struck - her father passed away suddenly, plunging the family into deeper hardship. At 19, H’Linh had no idea how to afford the paperwork necessary for studying abroad.

“That summer, I weeded coffee plantations for 20,000 VND a day (less than 1 USD). Just translating documents into Spanish cost several million dong. I cried in despair, not knowing what to do. But then I thought of my parents - who, despite being poor, always valued education. I knew I couldn’t give up on my dream,” Dr. H’Linh recalled.

She asked her mother to borrow a small sum so she could travel to Buon Ma Thuot City, 100 kilometers away. Armed with her acceptance letter, she visited the Department of Education and Training and the Provincial People’s Committee seeking help.

Recognizing her situation, Mai Hoa Nie Kdam - then Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People’s Committee - helped raise 10 million VND (around 420 USD) so H’Linh could complete her application. This support became a turning point in her journey.

One’s starting point does not determine their future

In October 2006, H’Linh arrived in Cuba to study physics at the University of Havana - the only institution in the country offering a bachelor’s degree in physics at the time.

“Students there were brilliant. Many had won national or international physics contests or were children of physicists. Meanwhile, I was still struggling to grasp Spanish,” H’Linh recalled.

Balancing language learning with rigorous coursework was exhausting, but the competitive environment pushed her to grow. She began conducting research and publishing scientific papers.

By 2012, she graduated with honors. Her undergraduate thesis had already led to two research papers published in domestic and international journals. She later received a full scholarship from Mexico’s National Council for Science and Technology to pursue a master’s and PhD at the Ensenada Center for Scientific Research and Higher Education (CICESE) and the Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (CNYN-UNAM) under UNAM.

She successfully defended her doctoral thesis in May 2019. Today, she continues postdoctoral research and lectures at UNAM with a rank nearly equivalent to associate professor.

Because her father’s death was related to lead poisoning, H’Linh focuses much of her research on developing lead-free ferroic and multiferroic materials. Her work seeks to reduce the toxic effects of heavy metals on human health and the environment, especially in electronics and smart sensors.

After nearly 20 years of studying and working abroad, Dr. H’Linh Hmok says, “No matter how far I go, my roots are what I always look back to.” She dreams of returning to Vietnam to share her knowledge and experiences with the community.

“I hope my story inspires young people facing hardship. Believe that education is the key to transforming your life.

Where you start doesn’t determine where you’ll go. No matter your background, you can achieve great things - if you seek out opportunities, take initiative, and stay persistent. Every small step today lays the foundation for a brighter, better tomorrow,” she shared.

Thuy Nga