Rebuilding the roof with the people

These days, the traces of destruction are still visible on every roof and every corner of the yard, but the atmosphere has changed. Throughout the residential areas, the sound of hammers, the sound of pulling corrugated iron sheets, and people calling each other... have become familiar sounds of the journey to rebuild life. On the still-cluttered roads, the image of soldiers and police officers of Gia Lai province standing next to people roofing and building walls has become a beautiful symbol of the days of recovery after the storm.

Roofs revived after the storm

In Bong Son ward (Gia Lai province), each new roof has begun to shine in the sunlight. Three working groups of the ward police are still present every day to help the 7 most severely damaged households complete the unfinished repairs. The work is no longer as urgent as the beginning, but requires meticulousness and certainty so that the houses can stand firm in the future.

*Authorities help people re-roof their houses.*

In the house that had just had its roof rebuilt, Mrs. Do Thi Hong Tanh stood watching the soldiers clearing the rubble and tearfully said: "Looking back now, I still can't believe I was able to finish clearing that pile of rubble. I thought I would have to stay with my neighbors for a long time, but they were so patient and helped me little by little. Today the house is almost finished, I feel so relieved."

In Quy Nhon Dong ward, the shock force and the ward police focused on completing the house of Mrs. Nguyen Thi Thai (born in 1948). She lives alone and is in poor health, so the force prioritized support from the beginning. Now, the new roof has been completed, the soldiers continue to plaster the walls, rearrange the kitchen and clean the yard so that she can soon return to normal activities.

*The work requires meticulousness and certainty so that the houses can stand firm in the future.*

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Xuan An, Chief of Quy Nhon Dong Ward Police, said: "People now not only need temporary shelter but also a house they can live in long term. So we make sure that everything is solid, and we rebuild the most damaged ones so that people do not suffer any losses."

In addition to repairing houses, the police force also coordinated the transportation of relief goods from the Ministry of Public Security to each neighborhood, a necessary task in the post-storm period when necessities, medicine, rain covers, etc. are still in short supply.

Meanwhile, in Van Canh commune, early in the morning when the dew was still clinging to the eaves, the commune police officers and soldiers spread out in all directions to continue to re-roof the severely damaged houses. The chaos was no longer as it had been in the early days, but the work was still piled up because many families had lost almost all of their roof tiles and roofing sheets.

*Police officers repaired and re-roofed severely damaged houses.*

Lieutenant Colonel Tran Ngoc Vuong, Head of the Commune Police, shared: "It often rains suddenly these days, so we have to take advantage of every sunny hour. We still prioritize poor households, the elderly, and single-parent households. Once a house is completed, that house can be assured."

Ms. Vo Thi Ha (76 years old) is one of the households that had her roof re-roofed. She was moved to see her house now tidy again: "I thought I was old and had to live under a leaky roof all rainy season. Thanks to you guys, my house is now clean and has a new roof. My heart is much lighter. The storm has passed and we lost everything, but with the support of the province and local authorities, we can live peacefully."

Warm military-civilian relationship

In Nhon Chau island commune, the post-storm recovery work is progressing slowly but surely. In recent days, officers and soldiers of Nhon Chau Border Guard Station have been checking each household to provide support under the project "Helping one poor household in the coastal border area each week".

*The project "Helping a poor household in the coastal border area every week" of Nhon Chau Border Guard Station spreads the spirit of sharing.*

Upon hearing the situation of Ms. Thai Thi Thien’s family (Tay village), 4 people living in a shack made of corrugated iron and canvas, completely “disappeared” by the storm, the border guards quickly arrived. Not only did they repair the house, the unit also donated 1 million VND and essential necessities to help the family get through the temporary period.

"Seeing my house being swept away by the storm, I was confused and didn't know where to start. Thanks to the Border Guard officers and soldiers who came to repair the roof and clean up the garden, I felt somewhat reassured. Now that my whole family has a stable place to live, I am truly grateful for the dedicated hands that helped us overcome difficulties," Ms. Thien said emotionally.

*Soldiers re-roof houses for people on Nhon Chau island commune.*

Nhon Chau Border Guard Station also sent 10 officers and soldiers to help Mr. Nguyen Minh Bac (Tay village) rebuild the roof of his house that had been blown off. Amidst the continuous sound of waves, the sound of hammering the roof became the sound of hope.

More than ten days after the storm, the wounds on each roof have gradually been mended. But more importantly, the people’s spirit has also been “patched” by the sharing and the persistent presence of the police, army and border guards.

*Not only repairing the house, Nhon Chau Border Guard Station also supported money and necessities for Thai Thi Thien's family.*

The new roofs not only provide shelter from the rain and sun, but also symbolize resilience and humanity amidst hardship. In the journey back to normal life, what remains most clearly is the story of the hands that have not been afraid of the rain or sun, helping people rebuild their lives from the smallest things.

Recently, Colonel Ngo Cu Vinh, Deputy Director of Gia Lai Provincial Police, visited and encouraged officers and soldiers of the Fire Prevention, Fire Fighting and Rescue Police Department about their high sense of responsibility in preventing storm No. 13 and overcoming the consequences after the storm. During the performance of their duties, many officers and soldiers bravely faced danger and were injured when handling fallen trees, dismantling corrugated iron roofs and fixing problems. He presented gifts, praised their efforts, encouraged the soldiers to recover soon, and asked the unit to continue promoting the spirit of vanguard, be ready to respond to all situations, protect people's lives and property, and maintain the good image of the police force.
Colonel Ngo Cu Vinh, Deputy Director of Gia Lai Provincial Police, visited and encouraged officers and soldiers of the Fire Prevention and Rescue Police Department.