June 22, 2021 | 20:58 (GMT+7)
Mekong-U.S. Partnership Heroes Series: Building a bright future for the Mekong
PANO - The Mekong - U.S. Partnership Heroes Series has presented a empowering story of Vietnamese student Vuong Thi Ngoc Tuyet, a woman who pursued an engineering degree at Can Tho University and later thrived in a U.S.-funded engineering program, according to the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi.
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Vuong Thi Ngoc Tuyet is one example of how students benefit from the Mekong - U.S. partnership. Photo taken from the videos |
The story of Ngoc Tuyet is the first in a four-episode video series. The series follows different individuals from the Mekong region, illustrating how they have benefited from the Mekong- U.S. Partnership. The videos will be released on the social media platforms of the U.S. Missions to Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia.
As a first-generation student and woman in a male dominated field, Tuyet tells viewers about her motivation behind pursuing a STEM degree. She shared that “people looked at me and said I could not do it. I have proved myself- and I earned the respect of my male classmates. This is why I encourage all other girls to join STEM.”
While studying, Tuyet had the opportunity to participate in the Engineering Projects in Community Service course (EPICS), an internationally recognized social entrepreneurship program funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and Arizona State University. EPICS is one of hundreds of U.S.-funded programs at work building a prosperous future for communities in the Mekong region.
Tuyet is one example of how students benefit from the partnership, which is expanding higher quality education and encouraging women’s entrepreneurship.
The Mekong - U.S. Partnership promotes stability, peace, and sustainable development of the Mekong sub-region through collaboration among Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam with support from the United States. Programs directed by the Mekong-U.S. Partnership have positively impacted the lives of millions of people and have helped Mekong countries better address issues on water security, energy and infrastructure planning, and STEM education. Building on 11 years of cooperation, the partnership seeks to expand its programming efforts to resolve regional challenges.
Song Anh