Hope Library Fund - Minh-Nguyen Bookcase
A Journey to Share Knowledge
Empowering Stories
Since my early volunteer trips to Vietnam’s northern highlands in 2016, I noticed that children in disadvantaged areas do not just lack books; they lack access to learning and opportunities for growth. In 2017, my brother and I started the Minh-Nguyen Bookcase Project,
which was later expanded to become Hope Library Fund to bring the culture of reading to students in remote areas.
Each bookshelf contains 300 to 500 carefully selected books, including children’s literature, science, life skills, and basic English. We created mobile mini-libraries suitable for mountainous schools, conducted field surveys, and personally transported and set up bookshelves in hard-to-reach communities.
After nearly 10 years, the project has built over 20 bookcases across 20 schools, including Van Cha Primary and Middle School, Tua Ma Pan School, and donated 50,000+ books for children in 7 provinces from Northern to Central Vietnam (Cao Bang, Ha Giang, Yen Bai, Lao Cai, Nghe An, Son La, Dien Bien)
For me, Hope Library Fund is not a charity; it is a mission to open doors to knowledge and plant the seeds of hope for children in Vietnam’s highlands.
Founder & Owner
Cham Tho Cam
After researching child labor in the highlands, I realized that data alone cannot create change. Real impact comes from real opportunities. During a trip to Pa Co (Hoa Binh), I met H’Mong women who had spent their lives weaving linen but earned almost nothing from their craft. I understood that culture only survives when it is tied to livelihoods, so I founded Chạm Thổ Cẩm to preserve traditional weaving while creating sustainable income for ethnic women.
Working with six H’Mong artisans, we developed a product line of over 500 handmade linen items. We organized a weaving workshop at the Museum of Ethnology and hosted the community fashion show “Silent Weave, Speaking Soul” in Hang Kia. To me, this project shows that development should never come at the cost of cultural identity.
The Official Website
Author, "Impact of Child Labor on School Enrollment Rates and Education Quality"
Although I was born in Hanoi, I grew up traveling to Vietnam’s northern mountains, where I saw children not only lacking books but also missing chances to change their futures. That experience led me to do my first independent research study on the impact of child labor on education in 25 mountainous provinces.
By collecting 782 household survey responses and analyzing the data with SPSS multiple regression models, I discovered that child labor has a strong negative effect on school retention and educational quality. The findings were published as an independent report. For me, the true value of this project was realizing that research should not only aim to understand a problem; it must also push for action toward educational fairness for marginalized children.
Research Assistant, "A Novel Framework for FinTech Trust in Rural Vietnam"
Although I was born in Hanoi, I grew up traveling to Vietnam’s northern mountains, where I saw children not only lacking books but also missing chances to change their futures. That experience led me to do my first independent research study on the impact of child labor on education in 25 mountainous provinces.
By collecting 782 household survey responses and analyzing the data with SPSS multiple regression models, I discovered that child labor has a strong negative effect on school retention and educational quality. The findings were published as an independent report. For me, the true value of this project was realizing that research should not only aim to understand a problem; it must also push for action toward educational fairness for marginalized children.
Co-Author, "Trust Formation & Fintech Adoption Intentions
in Rural Vietnam"
Building on that foundation, I conducted an independent study titled “Determinants of Consumer Trust and Intention to Use FinTech Services in Rural Vietnam” Instead of repeating previous research, I expanded the theoretical framework by combining the UTAUT2 model with institutional trust and social trust theory. I gathered data from 486 more respondents across six rural provinces and tested the structural model using SmartPLS.
The findings revealed an important insight: the biggest obstacle to FinTech adoption in rural areas is not technological issues, but the fear of losing money to a system seen as untrustworthy. This project improved my ability to conduct independent research and, more importantly, reaffirmed my commitment to using research as a way to support community development and fair financial access.
Co-Inventor, "Continuous Vegetable and Fruit Frying System Model Using the Liquid Column Method"
If research helps me understand problems, innovation lets me test solutions. During a field survey in the highlands, I saw farmers forced to sell their crops right after harvest at low prices because they didn't have preservation technology. To tackle this issue, my team and I created a mini agricultural dryer, a compact and energy-efficient device designed for mountainous areas.
After many trials, the dryer was successfully used in wild apple and plum farms in Son La. It extended storage time and increased product value by 1.5 to 2 times. This innovation won First Prize at the National Youth Innovation Contest and a Bronze Medal at IEYI Japan 2025. More importantly, I learned that technology matters only when it meets real human needs.
First Prize, The 20th National Youth and Children's Creativity Contest
Bronze Prize, International Exhibition for Young Inventors, IEYI Japan
