Nguyen Van Phuc and his girlfriend

Nguyen Van Phuc appeared in a VietNamNet story four years ago, when he was a shoeshine boy and preparing for four years of study at the Journalism and Communication Academy. 

Phuc is now an editor at VTV6 channel of the Vietnam National Television.

He is the youngest son in a large family. His father died after a period of falling ill when he entered the sixth grade. The family then fell into poverty. 

A VND100 million debt, which Phuc’s mother borrowed to pay for the father’s treatment, was a burden for Phuc and family members.

To earn his daily bread and continue education, Phuc had to work as a shoeshine boy. 

Many other boys in his village also earned their living with this job. However, unlike the boys who just strived to earn tens of thousands of dong to pay for daily basic needs, Phuc had a long-term plan for his life. 

Phuc also tried to continue studying. He vowed to follow higher education so that he could have better knowledge and find a good job.

Phuc did the job for 10 years until the day he passed the university entrance exam four years ago.

Soon after becoming a journalism school student, Phuc began working as a contributor for some newspapers, which helped him improve his skills and make money to cover his basic needs. 

His school friends called him “Phuc Bua” (Phuc Hammer), implying that he was an ironclad boy. 

When Phuc was a first-year student, he became a contributor to VTV6, the channel for  youth and teenagers. 

At first, Phuc only did errands for TV programs. Later, he was allowed to join the production process. 

He now is confident enough to take care of graphics for VTV6’s game shows.

Being enthusiastic and dynamic, Phuc many times was sent to Truong Sa Island, Dien Bien and Quang Tri provinces to handle important TV programs.

Phuc said many university graduates strive for such a job. However, he believes he still needs to set new targets for himself and make efforts to reach those goals.

“What will I be in five to 10 years is the question I often raise,” he said.

Now he still likes going out and working as a shoeshine boy, though he has a stable income as a VTV editor. This helps him recall the tough days of his life and encourages him to continue struggling for a better life.

Ngan Anh