Transformation of the land along the Ma River

(Baothanhhoa.vn) - Nestled peacefully on the banks of the Ma River, Hoang Hop commune (Hoang Hoa district) is a land rich in historical and cultural traditions. It still preserves many valuable historical, cultural, architectural, and artistic relics, such as the Le Hoang Cong temple, the An Phu temple, Thien Phuc pagoda, and Duc Giao village communal house. Proud of their homeland's cultural identity, the people of the commune are always united and working together to build a more modernized Hoang Hop.

The area around the cultural center of Duc Tien village, Hoang Hop commune.

Walking along the village road leading to the Duc Tien village cultural center, a peaceful rural scene unfolds with the Duc Giao village communal house and rows of closely clustered houses. Amidst the scorching sun, the fish pond in front of the cultural center acts like an "air conditioner," making the summer less stifling. The pond is neatly lined and paved, fitted with railings, and surrounded by stone benches and neatly planted trees.

Mr. Le Van Du, Party Secretary and Head of the Fatherland Front Committee of Duc Tien village, is always proud that since implementing the model new rural village construction program, the village has taken on a new look. He enthusiastically shared: "In implementing the model new rural village construction program, the villagers voluntarily contributed 1.2 billion VND to build a cultural center. At the same time, they jointly installed security cameras connected to the village cultural center. To protect the environment, households also discussed and renovated the entire wastewater drainage system in the residential area, with a length of 1.5 km; renovated the communal pond, and built roads to the cemetery... The joint contributions of the people have helped make Duc Tien one of the first model new rural villages in Hoang Hop commune."

In Thanh Minh, a model new rural village, the village roads and alleys are not only paved but also meet the criteria of being bright, green, clean, and beautiful, creating favorable conditions for people's travel. Many roads in the village have been widened thanks to the consensus of households contributing funds and donating land. There is also a mini-park project, covering more than 3,000 square meters, with trees, stone benches, an outdoor stage, a solar power system, and railings around the pond... This is not only a highlight of the landscape in Thanh Minh village but also a place for community activities, recreation, and exercise for the people. “The mini-park was built thanks to the contributions of more than 200 households. Besides donating agricultural land, the households, along with the villagers and their children living away from home, contributed 950 million VND to build the project. The countryside has truly undergone many changes now; the roads are lined with flowers, houses are numbered, and the infrastructure is solid. The average income of the villagers has also increased compared to before, reaching 69.54 million VND/person in 2024,” shared Mr. Le Ngoc Hong, head of Thanh Minh village.

The model new rural villages have created a solid foundation, contributing to Hoang Hop commune achieving the advanced new rural village status in 2024. This is the result of the correct orientations of the Party committees and government at all levels and the consensus and support of the people. The average per capita income of the commune currently reaches 69.84 million VND/year; the economic structure has shifted positively with the proportion of services and trade accounting for 40.38%, small-scale industries and construction accounting for 38%, and agriculture and forestry only 21.62%. All five villages in the commune have cultural centers and sports fields with sufficient area, infrastructure, and equipment to meet the needs of the people. School and health station facilities in the commune meet the prescribed standards... Cultural, artistic, and sports activities are organized enthusiastically in residential areas, contributing to improving the spiritual life of the people. The appearance of the countryside has undergone a dramatic transformation, especially with the implementation of major transportation infrastructure projects in the area. In early 2025, to secure funding from road upgrade and renovation projects, Hoang Hop commune mobilized its residents to donate land for road expansion. Understanding the benefits of road expansion and upgrading, 111 households in the commune donated over 11,000 square meters of agricultural land to expand the road connecting Kim-Quy road to Hoang Giang commune; two households donated 300 square meters of agricultural land to expand the main road in front of the commune's administrative office, contributing significantly to the socio-economic development of the locality.

Soon, Hoang Hop commune will merge with three other communes – Hoang Xuan, Hoang Giang, and Hoang Quy – to form a single larger commune named Hoang Giang. Local residents hope that after the merger, all administrative boundaries and "local" distances will be removed, socio-economic relationships will be harmonized, creating favorable conditions for people to stabilize their lives, develop the economy, and work together to build a progressively modernized area along the Ma River.

Text and photos: Viet Huong

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/doi-thay-vung-dat-ven-bo-song-ma-249215.htm