Happiest Holiday Season to all of you!!!

Happiest Holiday Season to all of you!!! May the New Year will bring you joy, great health and happiness. 

Today’s journal is written by Y Julie – one of our students from Dick and Ann Moore Tuition program. She is a great inspiration to all of us. She has overcome the stigma and severe difficulty in life to work toward her dream. Let’s meet her.   

I am Y Julie, who was born in Kon Drei Village, ??k Blà Commune, Kon Tum city, Kon Tum province. I am a second-year student, majoring in Information Technology at a branch of the University of Da Nang, located in Kon Tum. I am the oldest in a family of four siblings. My mother is a kindergarten teacher, and my father is a farmer.  Fate has taken away my intact arms since I was born. In addition, I got club foot on my right leg and scoliosis. Although I don't have my arms, I can still do all my daily personal tasks, such as eating, brushing my hair, and so on. Only in the most difficult situations, where I am unable to use my legs, I do seek for assistance from my parents and relatives.

My parents had to borrow money everywhere in order to provide me with a surgery to straighten my leg. After the surgery, my health has been better, and I now can walk independently. In 2016, my parents took me to Sai Gon to find a treatment for my scoliosis. I had another surgery to fix my spinal column, and the surgery could bring its capacity back up to about 65%. Although my spinal column is not straight as it is of a normal person, I can still enjoy my life. 

I always want to be a normal kid and desire to gain knowledge. I made great effort to practice writing with my legs. I was ashamed and insecure because I did not have my arms like my friends. In the first days at school, I shrank into myself, was emotional, and rarely talked to anyone. But being supported, encouraged by my teachers and parents, I became more confident and tried my best in studying.

With strong determination and consistency, I passed the entrance exam, majoring in Information Technology at a branch of the University of Da Nang, located in Kom Tum in 2020. Honestly, paying for my university tuition is a big concern for my parents. But luckily, I was introduced to Giving It Back To Kids organization soon after that. I am so grateful to the organization for funding my tuition in four years at university so that I can achieve my dream. This means a lot to me and my family.

Attending university is new and more difficult to students, and especially to a disabled student like me. Although sometimes my legs and my back are hurt a lot because of using the computer too much, it does not discourage me. In this place, I can make the acquaintance with friends and teachers who always care about me and support me in my study. I believe that people can achieve their goals if they never give up and work hard. I'm confident that many wonderful opportunities await me in the future, therefore I will do everything I can to become a skilled programmer.

With Love

Y Julie

Please feel free to reach out to me personally with any questions or comments. My cell number is 714-423-3515. Email is best at robert@givingitbacktokids.org.

Robert Kalatschan

Giving it Back to Kids

www.gibtk.org

robert@gibtk.org