Border guards and their dedication to bringing literacy to the Mong ethnic minority in the high-altitude border region.

Trung Ly is a disadvantaged commune in Muong Lat district, Thanh Hoa province. The commune has 15 villages, 11 of which are inhabited by the Mong ethnic group; the illiteracy rate is high; the general education level of the people is low; and the number of poor households accounts for over 57% of the commune's population. Over the years, the Trung Ly Border Guard Post has actively coordinated with local authorities at all levels to implement many programs and activities, including advising on solutions to improve the education and living standards of the people, which has been very effective. For many years now, the education sector has paid attention to ensuring universal education for the appropriate age in the border area. However, for various reasons, many people do not have the opportunity to attend school or are illiterate. Border Guard officers and soldiers, with their responsibility and compassion, have stepped in to open literacy classes. Their work contributes to raising the education level and improving the lives of the people in the border area.

With a deep commitment to bringing knowledge to the Mong ethnic minority people in remote border areas, for many years, Captain Ho Van Di, a community outreach officer at Trung Ly Border Guard Post, Thanh Hoa Border Guard Command, has overcome difficulties and tirelessly brought literacy to the Mong people in Trung Ly commune, Muong Lat district, Thanh Hoa province. Through this, he has helped the people understand the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's laws and regulations, and access science and technology in production and labor, building a prosperous life.

For over a month now, as the forest has been shrouded in darkness, the literacy class taught by Captain Ho Van Di at the Pa Bua village primary school has been lit. The 45 students in the class are mostly women from Pa Bua village, Trung Ly commune. They are of various ages; some are grandmothers carrying their grandchildren to school, some doze off beside their grandmothers, and others sway gently in their carriers to the rhythm of their mothers' spelling lessons. "Teacher in military uniform" Di, with his calm demeanor, approaches each student to teach attentively and in detail. He teaches in standard Vietnamese, but in many cases, he has to explain in their local dialect as well. As is customary, the students demonstrate high levels of self-discipline and seriousness throughout the learning process.

The head of the Women's Association in Pa Bua village, Thao Thi Xenh, a student in the literacy class, shared: "After visiting neighboring villages with Border Guard officers, I saw that the women there had learned to read and write with Teacher Di, learned how to do business , and were hired by companies with stable incomes. So the village management invited Teacher Di to come and teach the women in the village how to read and write."

Captain Ho Van Di disseminates and educates on the law at a literacy class for women's association members and residents of Kham 2 village, Trung Ly commune, Muong Lat district. Photo: Quoc Toan.

Born and raised in the border region of Muong Lat, after completing high school, Di enlisted in the Border Guard. In 2006, he was assigned to work at the Trung Ly Border Guard Post. As a community mobilization officer, he and the unit's officers and soldiers overcame difficulties, implemented the "three close ties, four shared interests" policy, and maintained close ties with the ethnic minority communities. He actively worked alongside and advised the local government on consolidating and building political foundations; and guided and assisted the people in developing the economy and stabilizing their lives. During his time living in the villages and working closely with the people, Di realized that one of the root causes of the backwardness and poverty among his ethnic minority communities was illiteracy. He confided that illiteracy makes people passive and unable to integrate into the community, lacking the knowledge to apply to their lives, leading to backwardness and poverty. Furthermore, it makes them vulnerable to deception, exploitation, bribery, and manipulation by unscrupulous individuals into illegal activities. Based on this situation, he advised the Party Committee and the commander of the Trung Ly Border Guard Post to coordinate with the Trung Ly Commune People's Committee to organize literacy classes in the Mong villages in the area.

He researched how to deliver his message in a way that was relatable, easy to understand, and practical: "Now, everywhere is changing, and our people also need to be literate so they don't have to worry about food every day, so they have enough to eat and wear, so they can grow corn and rice without pests and achieve high yields, so they can raise buffalo, cows, and pigs quickly, and so they can raise their children well. Being literate will also prevent them from being deceived by bad people."

Captain Ho Van Di patiently teaches the alphabet to female members and residents of Pa Bua village, Trung Ly commune, Muong Lat district. Photo: Quoc Toan

Thus, through dedication, strong bonds of affection, and the joint efforts of comrades, fellow soldiers, and various sectors and levels of local government—using reason and compassion, like "a slow but steady rain"—the class at Trung Ly Border Guard Post was established, and people flocked to learn to read and write with Teacher Di. In just two years, 2022 and 2023, Captain Ho Van Di and the officers and soldiers of Trung Ly Border Guard Post successfully advised on and opened two literacy classes with a total of 58 students in Kham 1 and Kham 2 villages. And the class in Pa Bua village is the third literacy class he has personally taught.

Lieutenant Colonel Hoang Ngoc Binh, Commander of Trung Ly Border Guard Station, said: "Through literacy classes, we have disseminated information to the people about the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's laws and regulations, and scientific and technical knowledge applied in production and economic development; eliminating backward customs such as child marriage and consanguineous marriage, and conducting weddings and funerals according to new lifestyles; and disseminating legal regulations related to religious activities so that people understand them thoroughly and do not promote or participate in illegal religious activities. Many officers in the unit could teach, but Captain Ho Van Di volunteered to teach literacy classes because, as a Mong ethnic minority, besides his close relationship with the people, his work experience, and his prestige, Di also wanted to contribute to the change of his homeland."

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