As Tet (Lunar New Year) approached and the spring colors began to spread across the Truong Son mountain range, we arrived in A Luoi 4 commune, Hue City. On the hillsides, the villagers celebrated the new year but did not forget to care for the buffalo herd that had just been provided by the 92nd Economic-Defense Brigade. Laughter and conversation mingled with the rhythm of labor in the coming spring weather, carrying with them faith and hope for an increasingly prosperous life in this border region of the Fatherland.

The donation of breeding buffaloes, cows, goats, and pigs by various units, combined with training in livestock farming techniques and disease prevention and control, has helped many households acquire additional production resources and gradually improve their lives. In 2025, the Economic-Defense Brigades donated over 1,000 breeding animals to disadvantaged households along the border.

The 92nd Economic-Defense Brigade donated breeding buffaloes to the people in the border area of ​​A Luoi 4 commune, Hue City, as a means of livelihood.

Colonel Le Van Hoa, Commander of the 92nd Economic-Defense Brigade, said: “After handing over the livestock, the unit dispatched production teams, officers, staff, and young volunteer intellectuals to closely monitor the area, visiting each household to supervise and guide people in caring for the animals according to proper procedures. We determined that providing livestock must be linked with technical support to achieve long-term effectiveness, helping people stabilize their lives and contributing to maintaining border security.”

In the western border region of Quang Tri province, the "Tet in the Border Region: A Heartwarming Celebration of Military-Civilian Solidarity" program, organized by the 337th Economic-Defense Brigade in the days leading up to Tet, has become a highlight with profound humanitarian significance. As Tet arrived, hundreds of gift packages, mainly consisting of essential goods, helped make the Tet holiday more fulfilling for poor households, families receiving preferential treatment, and ethnic minority communities in the area.

Ms. Ho Thi May, a resident of Huong Phung commune, Quang Tri province, emotionally shared: “My family still faces many difficulties, and every Tet holiday brings more worries. I am deeply moved that the soldiers came to visit and give gifts to our home. Their concern warms the hearts of the people in this border region, fostering trust and a stronger sense of belonging.”

In the Muong Lat Economic-Defense Zone, the "Lighting Up My Village" model of the 5th Economic-Defense Brigade has been implemented with many practical activities, directly addressing the needs of the people and students in the project area. The program has donated bicycles to poor students in 8 communes; provided industrial rice cookers, industrial blenders, school supplies, bicycles, and toys; handed over two toilet facilities to Muong Ly Kindergarten; and organized a charitable meal for students at Muong 1 Kindergarten. In particular, the installation of 100 solar-powered streetlights in the villages has contributed to improving living conditions and ensuring security and safety for the people.

Mr. Lau Van Pao, a parent whose child received a bicycle from the unit, expressed: “My house is far from the school, and the road is difficult. This Tet, my child received a bicycle donated by the soldiers of the 5th Economic-Defense Brigade, making it much easier for him to go to school. My family is very grateful to the soldiers.”

With a systematic, scientific , and meaningful approach, the 4th Economic-Defense Brigade has effectively implemented the model "Each Party branch assists 1 to 2 poor households, each Party member is linked to one poor household." Based on thorough surveys of the conditions of each village and household, the Brigade has developed a plan to support households with garden land with seedlings; support households with ponds and livestock with fish fry and animals; and provide guidance on production and animal husbandry techniques. A highlight of the model is the specific responsibility of Party organizations and individual Party members for the effectiveness and sustainability of poverty reduction efforts.

Comrade Lầu Bá Chò, Secretary of the Party Committee of Na Ngoi commune, said: “The models of the 4th Economic-Defense Brigade are very practical and suitable to the conditions of each household. Thanks to the regular guidance and monitoring of officers and soldiers, many households have risen to stabilize their lives and gradually escape poverty sustainably, so this Tet holiday is much more joyful and warm.”

In addition, the "Adopted Children of Border Guards" model – an affectionate term for children in particularly difficult circumstances in border areas – has been effectively implemented by border guard posts. Through this model, underprivileged children are directly mentored, cared for, and nurtured by officers and soldiers, providing them with opportunities for education and training to grow into adults. At the unit, the children live, study, and participate in activities as members of a large family, receiving love and guidance from their "fathers in military uniform."

Mai Quoc Tuan and his younger sister, Mai Thi Thanh Tuyen, lost their father at a young age and their mother abandoned them. The two siblings lived with their elderly grandparents in Xa Ry village, Huong Phung commune, and were taken in by the officers and soldiers of the Huong Phung Border Guard Post. Tuan emotionally shared: “If it weren’t for the Border Guard officers, I don’t know what would have become of us. Here, we have enough to eat, warm clothes, and the officers teach us to read and write, teach us how to be good people, and always encourage us to study hard so that we can become useful members of our homeland in the future.”

From disseminating legal information and caring for the people's lives to providing sustainable livelihoods for people in border areas, the models implemented by the Economic-Defense Brigades and Border Guard Posts are not only economically and socially significant but also vividly demonstrate the noble qualities of the Ho Chi Minh's Army in the new era. It is through these models of solidarity that the warmth of the military-civilian relationship has spread throughout the villages, contributing to building a strong and warm border region.

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/nuoi-duong-van-hoa-bo-doi-cu-ho/am-ap-mot-dai-bien-cuong-1025958