Motivation for people to escape poverty in Mon Son

The joy of escaping poverty and family economic independence

Near the end of the afternoon, Ms. Vi Thi Hoa in Thai Son 2 village, Mon Son border commune, leisurely walked to a large grassy field along the Giang River, not far from her house, to herd her family's cows home.

While walking, Ms. Hoa said that in more than half her life, she never thought that her family would have a herd of 4 cows like today. And according to their reproduction rate, each year her family will have 1-2 more cows. While herding the cows along the familiar road back to the village, Ms. Hoa chatted with the neighbors who were also "calling" the cows to return.

Clip: Hoai Thu

Previously, Ms. Vi Thi Hoa's family was a long-term poor household, with their income only relying on a few acres of rice fields and raising a flock of dozens of chickens, just enough to meet daily needs. From October 2024, Ms. Hoa's family, for the first time in their lives, thought about changing careers, from farming to concentrated livestock farming when they received support for 2 breeding cows.

“In the past, we only knew how to harvest each season. Since having cows, I have been instructed by commune and village officials on care techniques and how to utilize agricultural by-products to make silage to fatten the cows. With new methods, the cows are healthy, grow fast and reproduce well, so my husband and I have completely switched to investing in livestock. In addition to utilizing straw and corn stalks, my husband and I take turns cutting grass, collecting banana trees to feed the cows, and raising chickens... From 2 cows, we now have 4. Thanks to the State giving cows, money to build barns, and guidance on livestock farming, my family has escaped poverty,” Ms. Vi Thi Hoa happily boasted.

Mr. Vi Van Nghi - Head of Thai Son 2 village said that the village has 164 households, 745 people, now there are only 10 poor households, 19 near-poor households. The number of poor and near-poor households decreases every year, one of the "motivations" that helps Thai Son 2 people to escape poverty is from the livelihood support of the National Target Programs. Especially projects on supporting buffaloes, cows and seedlings. In 2024, Thai Son 2 village has 12 poor households provided with breeding cows. These are the "fishing rods", the livelihood support that not only provides capital and production materials for people, but also encourages the spirit of overcoming difficulties and working hard in production of the Mon Son people.

In 2024, Thai Son 2 village, Mon Son commune, will have 12 households supported with breeding cows to develop the economy. Photo: Hoai Thu

The head of Thai Son 2 village added that many poor households that were given breeding cows and buffaloes in 2024 have now escaped poverty, such as: Ms. Vi Thi Hoa's household, Mr. Lang Van Tinh's household, Mr. Ngan Dang Thiem's household...

“By the end of 2025, it is expected that many other households that are provided with cows will also escape poverty, because they will have a new livelihood and know how to combine and expand other jobs, their economy will continue to grow, gradually becoming financially independent, no longer relying on community support,” said Mr. Vi Van Nghi.

Promoting livelihood support resources

Mr. Vuong Dinh Huy - Vice Chairman of Mon Son Commune People's Committee said that Mon Son is a highland border commune with a large population of ethnic minorities. Currently, the commune has a population of more than 18,800 people, of which 92.6% are ethnic minorities; including the Dan Lai ethnic group living in the core zone of Pu Mat National Park. The terrain and traffic conditions of the commune are complicated, the infrastructure is still difficult, and the resources of the commune are limited. However, in recent years, thanks to the support from the National Target Programs, preferential policies for border areas, and the attention of all levels and sectors, it has contributed to improving the material and spiritual life of the people and achieved some results. Especially the projects to support livelihoods and career transition for the people.

Mon Son commune was established in July 2025 on the basis of merging two old communes of Con Cuong district, Mon Son and Luc Da. In Luc Da commune (old), up to now, the total number of projects and total budget of the National Target Program on socio-economic development of ethnic minority and mountainous areas for the period 2021-2025 have been planned and appraised. The project to implement the 5-year and annual program has been approved. After receiving guidance documents from superiors, the People's Committee of the commune established a steering committee and a working group to implement it. From 2021 to July 2024, Luc Da commune (old) was granted more than 1.6 billion VND to implement livelihood models and has implemented more than 1.3 billion VND. In Mon Son commune (old), the total budget allocated is more than 3.2 billion VND, by July 2024, nearly 2.7 billion VND has been disbursed.

Commune and village officials in Mon Son regularly stay close to the grassroots, supporting and guiding people to maintain livelihood models supported by the National Target Program. Photo: Hoai Thu

Mr. Vuong Dinh Huy also affirmed that since the establishment of the new government, the disbursement of projects under the National Target Program has been temporarily suspended to wait for the completion of the apparatus and update of mechanisms and policies according to the 2-level government model. It is expected that the capital source for the career deployed in Mon Son commune in 2025 will be more than 40 billion VND, of which more than 2.2 billion VND will be used to support livelihood development through poverty reduction models. In addition, there is also support from the Poverty Reduction Program, the New Rural Development Program, etc.

These supports will gradually help to sustainably reduce the poverty rate of the commune. At the same time, it will contribute to changing the local face and making it more civilized; helping to raise people's awareness and will to work and produce through the benefit of the Party and State's policies, so that they can have more income and gradually escape poverty./.

Source: https://baonghean.vn/dong-luc-de-nguoi-dan-vuon-len-thoat-ngheo-o-mon-son-10310112.html