Persevering in the face of adversity: Meet Trang from She Creates Change

Amidst the serene landscapes of a small village in Vietnam, Trang's family faced the struggles of poverty, relying on selling sweet cakes for their livelihood until an unforeseen mishap pushed them further into financial distress. However, in the face of adversity, Trang's unwavering determination and a unique bond with a special friend led her to an unexpected path of empowerment through her education, propelling her from YouTube obscurity to remarkable success. Her story stands as a testament to the incredible transformative power of education in shaping lives and dreams.

Trang: A story about critical thinking

In a quaint thatched hut, nestled in a small village in Vietnam, Trang and her family struggled to make ends meet by selling sweet cakes at the nearby market. One fateful day, disaster struck when their boat capsized, and all their cakes were lost to the river's depths. With the family's financial situation now dire, Trang's determination to pull them out of poverty was ignited. Little did she know that her extraordinary bond with a special friend would lead to a journey beyond her wildest dreams. 

As Trang pondered her family's predicament, she found solace in her special connection with animals, particularly Bim Bim, the lone white duck in a flock of black birds. Identifying with Bim Bim's isolation, Trang began to wonder if their unique friendship could bring joy to others as well. 

In the midst of her daily struggles, Trang heard whispers about a platform called YouTube, where people shared their stories and talents with the world. Inspired to become an actor, she saw this as an opportunity to showcase her bond with Bim Bim and, in turn, hopefully earn some money to support her family. 

With nothing more than an old phone, Trang embarked on her YouTube journey. Though her early videos garnered little attention, she persisted, recording moments like Bim Bim's birthday party, cooking lessons and dancing. Through life skills classes, as part of Room to Read’s Girls’ Education Program, Trang learned how to become more confident in herself and persevere in the face of hardships. She also learned the importance of time management, as she figured out how to balance her new passion for YouTube while also focusing on her studies at school. 

Trang's unwavering dedication finally paid off when her YouTube channel gained momentum, attracting a dedicated fanbase. To her astonishment, she received YouTube's prestigious Silver Creator Button Award, commemorating her success in reaching 100,000 subscribers. What began as a dream had grown into something truly remarkable.

Trang's path from a small thatched hut to YouTube stardom is a tale of critical thinking, perseverance, friendship and the power of dreaming big. Her ability to turn adversity into opportunity, while inspiring others along the way, stands as a testament to the boundless potential inside of every girl. Through her extraordinary journey, Trang reminds us to look beyond our circumstances and embrace the magic that awaits when we dare to believe in ourselves.

Room to Read presents: She Creates Change

Trang is one of the remarkable changemakers featured in Room to Read's She Creates Change, the first nonprofit-led animated short film to promote gender equality through the stories of young women around the world. The film features the narratives of six courageous young women — Yashika among them — from historically low-income communities in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Tanzania and Vietnam, and profiles how each girl confronts challenges unique to her life, like harassment, food scarcity or early marriage, by advocating for herself and her future.  

Right now, 122 million girls are not in school worldwide, and millions more must overcome cultural bias, discrimination, poverty, and violence simply to go to school. 

Room to Read’s gender equality programming has supported more than 3.7 million girls, advancing gender equality in historically low-income communities around the globe. We need your help to promote equal access to education for more girls around the world.