Lau Nguyen Huong Giang, a fourth-year student of the Academy of Journalism and Communication, is not only a proud representative of the Hmong ethnic minority but also a symbol of dedication to education and community development in Vietnam’s highland regions.

Even as a university student, Giang has launched and led impactful projects that bridge gaps in opportunity for ethnic minority youth. Her work has already improved lives - and inspired change - across some of Vietnam’s most remote areas.

Two projects, one mission

Giang hails from Son Thanh Village in Muong Xen, Nghe An Province - right by the Vietnam-Laos border. Life in her hometown, like many upland communities, is defined by hardship, especially for children striving to pursue education.

Her dream of giving back to ethnic minority communities was born early, during her time at Nghe An Provincial Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities. But it wasn’t until entering university that she found the tools and environment to act.

In her freshman year, Giang and like-minded friends joined the Nuoi Em initiative and launched two projects of their own: “Duoc hoc” (To Be Educated) and “Sach nay la de xay truong” (This Book Builds Schools). She now leads both as project manager.

Old laptops, new futures

The “Duoc hoc” project collects second-hand laptops, refurbishes them, and distributes them to disadvantaged ethnic minority students. Over three years, it has connected nearly 2,000 sponsors and delivered around 900 repaired laptops to students in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Nghe An, and Thai Nguyen.

Meanwhile, “Sach nay la de xay truong” collects and resells used books, with 100% of proceeds going toward school construction in remote communities via the Vietnam National Volunteer Center.

What’s truly unique: both projects are run entirely by young ethnic minority volunteers - hundreds of them, working together for the same cause.

Giang shared, “I always set clear goals and push myself to follow through. I hope these projects will attract more donors, so we can continue supporting ethnic minority students in need. My dream is that these efforts will empower them to grow and shape better futures.”

In addition to distributing devices and books, Giang’s team has also successfully organized free online classes in English, computer skills, and personal development for students who received laptops.

From personal limits to global stages

Born to a Hmong father and Kinh mother, Giang’s upbringing was shaped by her parents’ deep love for teaching and for their remote, often overlooked homeland. This upbringing instilled in her a powerful sense of responsibility to give back to her roots.

Her father, Lau Ba Sua, a teacher at Tay Son Boarding School in Nghe An, said: “We only provided her with direction, the rest came from the support of her teachers and her own determination. We taught her that wherever she goes, she must strive to become someone who contributes meaningfully to society.”

One student who deeply touched Giang’s heart was a young Thai girl from Son La. Despite scoring high on her high school graduation exam, she couldn’t attend college and worked in a factory for a year instead. Realizing that the job offered no path to growth, she fought her way back to academia, eventually becoming a university freshman the following year.

For Giang, the Academy of Journalism and Communication has been a launchpad to challenge herself and grow. She believes university is not just for acquiring knowledge, but for shaping character, ethics, and the sense of responsibility needed to serve society.

Thanks to her persistent efforts, Giang was selected as one of seven Vietnamese youth representatives at the ASEAN Children and Youth Climate Summit 2025 (ACYCS 2025) in Langkawi, Malaysia.

At the summit, she hopes to share the story of her volunteer team - young people from ethnic minorities working together to promote education and protect the environment. She’s also eager to learn from other ASEAN youth about their approaches to tackling climate change.

On her personal page, Giang once wrote about the need to break free from her “shell.” And that’s exactly what she has done - growing beyond limitations and rising to new heights.

“The more I experience, the more I see my own limits,” she reflected. “To break through those limits, you have to act. If you work hard and make decisions with a clear mind, you’ll reach a moment where you realize - you’ve already overcome them.”

Thanh Hai