Young and dynamic Party Branch Secretary

Party Secretary and Head of Khuoi Lam Village, Duong Van Ngoan, is always mentioned by the people as a role model of a dynamic, enthusiastic young official who wholeheartedly preserves the cultural identity of the community.

Party Secretary and Head of Khuoi Lam village, Duong Van Ngoan, is tending to a cinnamon tree.

Having dedicated nearly 10 years to village work, he has consistently played a vital role in promoting and encouraging people to develop the economy , alleviate poverty, and build new rural areas.

Greeting us at the beginning of Khuoi Lam village (Doan Ket commune, Lang Son province) with a bright smile, Duong Van Ngoan - a simple, kind-hearted young man of the dark H'Mong ethnic group - had eyes that always shone with radiance and enthusiasm.

Sharing with us about his birthplace and upbringing, Mr. Ngoan said that Khuoi Lam village has 58 households with 240 inhabitants, all of whom are Black H'Mong ethnic people. For generations, Khuoi Lam has quietly nestled on the mountainside, with a sparse population, little traffic, and a subsistence farming lifestyle, almost entirely dependent on weather conditions. Therefore, life is difficult, limiting socio-economic development and improving the lives of the people.

As a young man of the 9X generation (born in the 1990s), Duong Van Ngoan has long aspired to contribute his youthful energy to building his hometown and helping it escape poverty. At the end of 2019, after graduating from Thai Nguyen University of Education, he returned to his hometown and actively participated in social activities. Having risen through the ranks of community security, becoming a community security team leader, he made a significant impact in maintaining security and order in the village. He is beloved by the villagers for his dedicated work ethic, his actions, and his wholehearted commitment to serving the people. In 2023, Duong Van Ngoan was trusted by the villagers and elected as the Party Secretary and Head of Khuoi Lam village.

Understanding the importance of enriching oneself right in one's homeland, and with support from the Government's Project 2086 on socio-economic development for ethnic minorities, Mr. Ngoan went to each house to guide, promote, and encourage people to develop their economy in a household-based manner. Representing the villagers in training courses on cinnamon and anise cultivation and care organized by the province, he returned to disseminate the information and directly guide the villagers in focusing on planting cinnamon, anise, and black stonecrop right in their gardens, helping to improve quality and diversify crop varieties... bringing stable income. Mr. Trinh Van Long, from Khuoi Lam village, said: “With the enthusiastic support and guidance of the Party Branch Secretary, we have developed our economy right from the garden behind our house. If we didn't understand something, he would come to our place and enthusiastically explain. Thanks to cinnamon and anise, the material lives of the villagers have improved significantly.”

Not only does Mr. Ngoan support the people in developing their economy, but he also actively coordinates with all levels of government, connecting the government with the grassroots, understanding the thoughts and aspirations of the people; thereby disseminating information and creating consensus among the people in jointly building a new rural area. As a result, from 2020 to 2025, Khuoi Lam village has built 10 community bridges, with a total value of 150 million VND and 400 days of labor. Wishing to improve the village's landscape to be more attractive and friendly, Mr. Ngoan and the villagers have renovated and built 3 km of dirt roads in the village into clean, beautiful concrete roads, facilitating transportation, promoting economic development, and connecting the community. Mr. Lo Van Tang, from Khuoi Lam village, shared: “Since the accident, I have always received visits and encouragement from the Party Secretary and the villagers. Now that the village and the government have handed over a house worth 40 million VND, my family is extremely grateful.”

Duong Van Ngoan also actively coordinated with the regular police force in the commune to ensure security and order, disseminated information to help people combat social evils, eradicate outdated customs, and maintain peace in the village. Throughout his years of service, he has consistently held the position of Head of the Mediation Team, directly resolving conflicts and disputes; and disseminating information to help people improve their awareness of law compliance and stabilize their lives. “Comrade Duong Van Ngoan is an exemplary, pioneering young Party Branch Secretary with a high sense of responsibility, always proactive, creative, united, closely following the guidance of the Party Committee and the government, providing good advice, and effectively organizing movements, making a significant contribution to local development and serving as a shining example for the young generation of Khuoi Lam to follow,” commented Comrade Duong Van Hoa, former Party Branch Secretary of Khuoi Lam village.

Besides being a role model and taking the lead in assigned tasks, deep down, the young Black H'Mông man always yearns to preserve and promote the traditional cultural treasures of his people. In particular, he mentions the folk songs of the Black H'Mông people – called Tú Sỉ Na Miẻo in the H'Mông language. Holding his traditional flute, Ngoan shared: “My grandmother’s house is deep in the village, but ever since I was little, whenever I had free time, I would go to her to listen to folk songs. In the past, all Black H'Mông women knew how to hum a few tunes. The songs just seeped into me without me even realizing it.”

In his efforts to preserve the Black H'Mong folk songs, he dedicated much time and effort, along with artisans in the village, to compiling the book "The Tu Si Na Mieo Songs of the Black H'Mong Ethnic Group, Trang Dinh District". The book compiles 33 H'Mong songs that have been translated into Vietnamese, becoming a valuable resource for studying ethnology, literature, and folklore of the H'Mong people in general and the Black H'Mong in Lang Son in particular. At the same time, Mr. Ngoan also participated in teaching H'Mong flute to the villagers in folk song classes previously organized by Trang Dinh district.

Thanks to his efforts and contributions over the past time, Mr. Duong Van Ngoan has been honored with many awards at various levels, such as: Outstanding Village Party Secretary and Head; Outstanding Youth of Ethnic and Religious Groups; and the 1st Lang Son Provincial Literature and Arts Award.

Text and photos: QUOC DAT

Source: https://nhandan.vn/bi-thu-chi-bo-tre-nang-dong-post945279.html