Quyen Tran Thi Thao
i don’t want a life of hard manual labor for you.Study hard.
Career: Nutrition
Meet Tran Thi Thao Quyen. Before Quyen was born, her parents left their rural province of Phu Yen in Central Vietnam to seek work in Ho Chi Minh City. They carried little with them beyond a sixth-grade education. In Ho Chi Minh City, they toiled away hawking hats, masks, gloves, and helmets. Once Quyen and her sister were born, the parents determined that the hard city life was not a place for young children. At only 13 months of age, Quyen’s parents made the difficult decision to send their daughters back to their hometown to live with an aunt. Quyen’s parents did not want a life of hard manual labor for her and her younger sister. They valued education and encouraged both to prioritize their studies.
For some young Vietnamese women, the nurturing and daily support of biological parents is not possible when parents are forced to live elsewhere to earn a living income. Children can be left with grandparents, aunts, and uncles. Sometimes these extended family living situations are dangerous; they can be subject to indentured servitude at a young age or worse – abuse or neglect. Fortunately, Quyen was raised by a loving aunt and her parents continued to stay connected with her while they worked in Ho Chi Minh City. Quyen said, “Although I did not grow up with my parents, I could feel their love from afar.”
Through primary and secondary school, Quyen was driven by a love of learning. Every subject was a new discovery. In ninth grade, she developed an interest in cooking and exercise, exploring the connection between nutrition and sports performance. Working with limited resources, she independently pursued her passion, delving into podcasts and newspapers to further her knowledge.
During summer breaks, she would often go to Ho Chi Minh City to see her parents. She was delighted when her mother accompanied her to the markets and temples, cherishing these quiet moments together. Little did she know the summer following her ninth-grade year would mark the final one she’d spend with her mother. Shortly thereafter, her mother was diagnosed with cancer. Unable to pay for radiation treatment, her mother was brought home to be cared for by her family. Watching her mother’s painful death was agonizing. However, through this devastating loss, Quyen found a deep desire to pursue medicine, eventually enrolling in a four-year nutrition program at the Ho Chi Minh City of Medicine and Pharmacy. The transition to the big city was a challenge for Quyen, but she took great comfort in knowing that her father, her steadfast supporter, was close by. She felt ‘’safe and more at ease” knowing he was still there selling helmets by the roadside.
In 2025, Quyen realized her dream: graduating with a university degree in nutrition and securing employment at Siam Thailand Cosmetic Hospital. She is deeply grateful for the U-GO scholarship, in partnership with The Relay Fund, that alleviated the financial stress on her family, allowing her to focus on her studies. She often reflects on her family’s message - “Study hard in school so that you may have a brighter future.”