After years of living on their boats, the lives of the people in Tien Phong fishing village, Quang Vinh commune, Duc Tho district ( Ha Tinh province) have now turned a new page.
Memories of a time of wandering
The fishing village of Tien Phong is located below the Eo Bu creek, a branch of the Lam River. Here, 24 households use boats as their means of livelihood through fishing, and they also use them as their homes.
For decades, the fishermen of Tien Phong village lived a nomadic life, traveling up and down the Lam River on their boats.
Having drifted on cramped boats for so long, the people of this fishing village no longer remember when they began their nomadic life on the river. They only know that generations of them have seen their ancestors live this way since they were born.
For generations, the lives of the people in this fishing village have been intertwined with small boats, about 15 square meters in size. Because they are connected to the river, their main source of income depends on fishing with nets. The fish and shrimp they catch after hours of hard work are exchanged for rice, vegetables, and essential items for their daily lives.
Mr. Ngo Dinh Hiep (46 years old, Tien Phong village) recalls that his family had many children, so his parents didn't have enough land to divide among them for building houses. Therefore, more than 15 years ago, after getting married, he gathered all the wedding money to buy a boat so that he and his wife could make a living as fishermen and live on the boat.
"My small family of five has to live, bathe, cook, etc., in our small boat, which is very inconvenient. Because there is no electricity grid, the fishermen in the village have to use batteries for lighting, and each time they come ashore to recharge the batteries, they last for about 10 days."
"To save electricity, the fishermen would have lunch at 9 a.m., dinner at 4 p.m., and go to bed early in the evening," Hiep recalled.
Similarly, generations of Nguyen Truong Sinh's family (40 years old, head of Tien Phong village) have also spent decades sailing on a boat that is more than 3m wide, 7m long, and over 1m high.
Mr. Sinh and his wife were formerly neighbors, both fishermen. Understanding each other's circumstances, they got married and had five children together.
The couple's only asset when they started living separately was an old boat worth 6 million dong, which he bought from a sand dredger. The dilapidated boat serves as a shelter for the seven members of their family.
The people of Tien Phong fishing village not only face difficulties and hardships in making a living, but their biggest worry is their children's education. For generations, the people here have been mostly literate, and while later generations have strived to improve their lives, the number of those pursuing higher education remains limited.
Overwhelming joy
Moving ashore has been the aspiration of fishermen who have lived a nomadic life on boats for generations. They hope to have a "piece of land to call their own," to change their precarious lives, and to ensure their children receive a proper education to alleviate their future hardships.
Twenty-four spacious houses have been built for the fishermen. This year, during the rainy season and floods, they no longer have to struggle to escape the rising waters like in the past.
Just in time for the Lunar New Year of the Rabbit in 2023, the dreams of the residents came true when 24 terraced houses, each with a floor area of 56m2, were handed over and put into use. The project included a 350m long road with drainage ditches and a complete electricity supply system.
The houses are designed with an open ground floor for storing vehicles, equipment, and production tools; the second floor houses the living room, bedrooms, kitchen, and bathroom. The project was entirely funded by sponsoring businesses, totaling over 9 billion VND.
In his spacious new home, Mr. Ngo Van Hiep (46 years old) shared: After 19 years of living a nomadic life on the river, he and his wife have finally owned a home. "Since having a new house, life has become stable, and our children have a place to study. Even now, I still feel like I'm dreaming," Mr. Hiep happily stated.
Earn a living with peace of mind.
Standing on the second floor of a villager's house, gazing into the distance, we felt that Tien Phong village was transforming after days of actively building a new rural area. These included wide concrete and asphalt roads, a modern commune People's Committee headquarters, well-equipped schools, and lush green gardens full of fruit trees.
While preparing his fishing gear for the spring fishing season, Mr. Dinh Tien Cuong (Tien Phong village) happily said: "Previously, because we didn't have land to settle on, our family often drifted together on the river. Now, our children no longer have to risk their lives clinging to those shaky boats with their parents. They can go to school, and we feel more secure earning a living on the river."
According to Mr. Cuong, because his family is familiar with the river trade, they continue to stick with it; some others have moved ashore to work in nearby companies and industrial zones.
Mr. Nguyen Quang Viet, Chairman of the Quang Vinh Commune People's Committee, recalled that in the past, every rainy season, the local authorities were always worried about the safety of the fishing families in Tien Phong village. This was because all the households lived on a small boat, which served both as a means of earning a living through fishing and as a shelter.
With financial support from the government and philanthropists to build houses that combine flood protection, the households are now settled in sturdy, elevated homes, and their former worries are gone.
"Since moving ashore, the lives of the people have changed a lot. Many have changed professions to stabilize their lives. In particular, the students now have sufficient resources to study, no longer facing the precarious situation they had when they were living on the river," Mr. Viet said.
The entire Tien Phong village has 92 households with 267 inhabitants. Among them, 24 households have lived on boats for generations. Thanks to the appeal from Ha Tinh province, philanthropists have donated 9 billion VND to build 24 houses, determined to bring the fishermen of Tien Phong village ashore.
Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/cuoc-life-moi-cua-lang-van-chai-ben-dong-lam-192250206193434885.htm
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