Warmth and well-being

A view of Bat Mot border commune.

One morning in late August, after a prolonged period of heavy rain caused by Typhoon No. 5, the sturdy stilt house of Mr. Vi Xuan Thanh (born in 1976) and his wife in Dun village, Bat Mot border commune, was suddenly broken in half by rocks and soil cascading down from the hillside. Fortunately, all four members of the family managed to escape, but almost all their belongings, from the television and refrigerator to pots, pans, and dishes, were buried under mud and swept away by the flood. More than a hectare of their snail and frog pond, ready for harvest, was also completely destroyed. Making a living on the dry, sloping hillside with acacia trees and bamboo shoots was not easy, and everything the couple had accumulated was lost in the flash flood.

But in times of hardship and misfortune, Mr. Thanh felt the warmth of human kindness more strongly. He said, "My family has received care and support from the Party, the State, the border guards, people far away, and neighbors, from labor, supplies, and household items to money to rebuild the house. Truly, without that help, my family could not have survived." Then he counted on his fingers, listing the names of each organization, official, and charitable group that had helped his family. Therefore, after the rain stopped and the sun shone, choosing an auspicious day, he and his wife began repairing and rebuilding their house in a location far from the stream, ensuring safety. It is expected that this Tet (Lunar New Year), Mr. Thanh's family will be living in a new, more spacious house than last year.

Following typhoons No. 5 and No. 10, the border commune of Bat Mot suffered double damage; roads and fields were swept away, villages were isolated, and houses were damaged... the lives of the people, already difficult, became even harder. Promptly declaring a disaster emergency, the Provincial People's Committee prioritized the allocation of resources for emergency investment in several infrastructure projects serving the people. Specifically, this included repairing and upgrading the road to Ruong village with over 9.5 billion VND; and constructing a spillway in Phong village with 3.5 billion VND...

Notably, a centralized resettlement area serving the emergency relocation of 23 households in Chiềng village, living in a high-risk area for natural disasters, has also been approved for investment with over 9.5 billion VND. Since Typhoon No. 10, the People's Committee of Bát Mọt commune has focused on land clearance and preparation for the commencement of the project.

Mr. Nguyen The Thang, Chairman of the People's Committee of Bat Mot commune, said: After the storm, the commune prioritized mobilizing reserve resources and focusing forces to support the people in overcoming the consequences of the natural disaster and stabilizing their lives. To date, people have restored production and returned to normal life.

Perhaps it has been a long time since Thanh Hoa suffered such heavy damage from natural disasters. Prolonged heavy rains caused by the remnants of typhoons No. 3, No. 5, No. 10, No. 11, and many other extreme weather events have caused severe damage to property and crops. Many buildings and houses were buried by flash floods, and many villages were completely submerged in floodwaters...

But in times of hardship, the humanity of policies and guidelines, of brotherhood and solidarity between the military and the people, shines even brighter. This is reflected in the timely directives and telegrams guiding the response and recovery efforts following natural disasters; in the images of soldiers and police officers wading through floodwaters to assist and rescue people and property; and in the generosity of businesses and philanthropists who went deep into flood-stricken and landslide-affected areas to support their compatriots...

Along with funds from the budget and from fundraising and donations, the Provincial Fatherland Front Committee has provided the first phase of support to households that suffered losses in terms of lives and housing (1,691 houses collapsed or damaged), and provided food and living expenses to 6,434 households affected by flooding caused by Typhoon No. 10 with over 56 billion VND; and the second phase of support with over 5.2 billion VND...

This clearly shows that, throughout the development process, the people are always at the center, as the supreme principle in all policies and guidelines of our Party and State. Social security is the core, the pillar, ensuring that no one is left behind. Looking at the reality, it's not just about visiting and giving gifts to support people striving to overcome hardship and natural disasters, or the social welfare projects being started and built in disadvantaged areas... There are also 14,780 houses and shelters for vulnerable people following the Prime Minister 's Directive No. 42-CT/TTg and the Provincial Party Committee's Standing Committee Directive No. 22-CT/TU on the campaign to support housing construction for poor households, policy beneficiary households, and households with housing difficulties in the province during the two years of 2024-2025.

For over eight months since her new house was completed in Hamlet 3, Hoang Loc Commune, every day has been a joyful one for Mrs. Luong Thi Huong (70 years old). Meeting us again, she smiled brightly: “I am deeply moved to have a new, sturdy house thanks to the support of the government, my relatives, and neighbors. It motivates me to strive harder. I have already paid off all the extra loans I took out to build the house.”

Recalling my last visit, Mrs. Huong was from a poor household, living alone in a dilapidated, low-lying house only about 10 square meters in size. Despite working hard doing various jobs, sometimes farming, sometimes cycling around collecting scrap metal, her old age and frail health, coupled with frequent medication, meant she had nothing to spare. Even her only daughter and her husband were struggling to make ends meet, unable to offer much help to their mother...

The house was built with a total cost of approximately 200 million VND. With 80 million VND in government support and donations from neighbors and family members, Ms. Huong only had to borrow an additional 20 million VND. She confided: "After almost a lifetime of hard work, I now have a decent house to live in, and I am truly content."

That's right, caring for the people's lives, prioritizing the safety and health of the people above all else, has always been a consistent and overarching policy of our Party and State, so that no one is left behind. And this consistent and humane policy continues to spread throughout villages, hamlets, and streets, reaching every life and destiny, and is evident in every public works project...

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