Changes at Doc May

Nestled amidst white clouds throughout all four seasons, Doc May village in Truong Son commune is often referred to as the "village at the edge of the sky" in western Quang Tri province. Due to its remote location, many Bru-Van Kieu households previously lived in hardship and backwardness. However, thanks to the attention of the Party, the State, and philanthropists, the lives of the people have improved, and the appearance of the village is changing day by day.

The road to Doc May village is still difficult and remote - Photo: XV

The arduous journey to the village

Recently, I led a volunteer group to visit and donate gifts to teachers, students, and residents of Doc May village. From the center of Truong Son commune, we had to travel about 15km through the forest, navigating steep mountain slopes and crossing streams. Even though the weather was sunny and the roads were dry, the motorbikes carrying people and the trucks carrying goods struggled to crawl across the streams and steep slopes for over three hours before reaching the village.

Another route to Dốc Mây is by walking from Trung Sơn village, following the stream and the foot of the rugged mountains. Although only about 8km long, it takes nearly 4 hours to walk. Teacher Nguyễn Xuân Thành, a teacher at Long Sơn Primary School who has been associated with Dốc Mây for many years, shared: “During the rainy season, Dốc Mây is almost completely isolated. The trail is muddy and slippery, and the stream rises, making it impossible to get in or out of the village. Supply trips to the villagers have to stop. During those days, teachers and villagers have to fend for themselves with food, medicine, and gather products from the mountains and forests to survive.”

Currently, Doc May village has 27 households with 107 inhabitants living in a small valley. It still lacks access to the national power grid and mobile phone coverage. The villagers' lives mainly depend on farming, forest products, and support from the government and the community; 100% of the households are classified as poor. The village has one school with two combined classrooms for primary school students, but no kindergarten. After completing primary school, students must go to the commune center or to villages further inland to continue their education.

Ho Van Choi, Party Secretary of Doc May village, recounted: “Previously, the villagers mainly lived in makeshift houses made of thatch, bamboo, and leaves. They used stream water for daily life. Growing cassava, corn, and upland rice depended heavily on the weather, so there were many years of crop failure. When sick, people used medicinal plants from the forest to treat themselves. In cases of serious illness, they had to be carried or asked to be taken to medical facilities by officials or Border Guard soldiers. All trade and travel with the outside world was mainly by road…”

“To improve the lives of the people in Doc May village, the commune will continue to promote and encourage people to cultivate upland rice, corn, cassava, etc., to become self-sufficient in food. After that, we will call for resources to support the development of goat, cattle, pig, and chicken farming, as well as the cultivation of medicinal plants; and at the same time, strengthen forest protection efforts. In the long term, the commune hopes that higher authorities will continue to pay attention and invest in building a gravel road approximately 15km long from Rin Rin village to Doc May village. This will open up trade routes, bring electricity, telephone service, goods, and medical services to the village,” said Hoang Trong Duc, Vice Chairman of Truong Son Commune People's Committee.

The journey to prosperity

Thanks to the attention of the Party, the State, and charitable organizations, Doc May village has changed day by day. In particular, in 2024, the "Borderland Shelter" program, organized by the Provincial Border Guard in coordination with the Provincial Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and philanthropists, brought about a major turning point: 8 "Great Solidarity" houses were started and completed, bringing joy and emotion to the entire village.

Bricks and corrugated iron sheets were carried and transported dozens of kilometers through the forest to build decent homes from damp earth. Each house, worth approximately 160 million VND and covering an area of ​​40 square meters, is the result of generous contributions from all over the country.

New houses for the people of Doc May village have been completed - Photo: XV

Mr. Ho Van Thoi emotionally recounted: “Now that we have a new house, I no longer fear rain and storms like before. In winter, the children can sleep in warm, cozy rooms without getting cold, and we no longer worry about the thatched roof being blown away. Now, my wife and I can focus on our work and economic development with peace of mind.”

Mr. Thoi's new stilt house, nearly 40 square meters in size, has a clean cement floor and a striking red corrugated iron roof that stands out amidst the mountains and forests. It's not just a place to live, but also a source of spiritual support, helping his family and fellow villagers to confidently stay connected to the border region, work hard, and strive towards escaping poverty.

Following that success, in May 2025, the Provincial Border Guard Command was assigned to lead the construction of hundreds more houses for poor households throughout the province, including 12 houses in Doc May village. Each house is valued at 120 million VND (of which, 60 million VND/house is funded by Vingroup Corporation and 60 million VND/house is funded by the National Target Program for socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas giai đoạn 2021-2025).

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Trung Dung, Political Officer of Lang Mo Border Guard Station, said: “During the process of building houses for the people, we encountered many difficulties due to the remote location and unpredictable weather, affecting the transportation of people, vehicles, and materials. However, with high determination, the station sent forces into the village to coordinate and help the people build houses as well as supervise the construction unit. According to the plan, in about 20 days, all 12 houses will be completed and handed over to the people for use.”

Besides the new houses that are changing the face of Doc May village, a self-flowing sanitary water system was also inaugurated at the end of 2024. In addition, villagers who are contracted to protect the forest each year receive approximately 30 million VND per household in support. Thanks to the guidance of the Border Guard, many households have started building barns to raise goats, chickens, and native pigs. Currently, the village has 60 goats, 10 cows, and 95 hectares of newly allocated production land, promising to be a source of income for the villagers to develop their economy in the future.

Leaving Doc May village in the twilight, behind me were new, spacious houses, peacefully nestled in the Truong Son mountains. The sight of goats and cows grazing and drinking from cool streams, the sound of children reciting their lessons... All of this paints a bright future, opening the way to prosperity for this "village at the edge of the world" in the not-too-distant future.

Xuan Vuong

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/doi-thay-o-doc-may-195695.htm