Joy under the new roof
These days, the single-story house of Ms. Pham Thi Ngoc (born in 1977, My Thuong village, Hung Nguyen commune, Nghe An province) is nearing completion. The sounds of construction workers, relatives helping out, and neighbors coming to offer congratulations create a lively atmosphere.
Few people know that for many years, the family's old house has been in serious disrepair. After many rainy seasons, the roof tiles are leaking, the walls are cracked, and the floor is damp, but the couple still hasn't been able to afford repairs.
Ms. Ngoc is the daughter of former Saigon commando Phan Minh Hanh, who is also a victim of Agent Orange/dioxin. Her poor health prevents her from doing heavy work, leaving almost all the economic burden on her husband, Mr. Le Van Tin, who works as a construction laborer.
Besides facing economic difficulties, the family also has to care for their eldest son who suffers from epilepsy. Mr. Tin emotionally shared: “Our house has been dilapidated for a long time, but we didn't have the money to repair it. Every time it rains heavily, the whole family worries. Now, with the 60 million VND support, the family will borrow more from relatives and the bank to build a new house. In just a few days, we will have a sturdy place to live and no longer be anxious every rainy season.”
On the day the old house was demolished, neighbors volunteered to help, some contributing labor, others assisting with transporting materials. These simple acts of kindness made the joy of the new home even more complete.
Ms. Ngoc's family is one of eight cases in Hung Nguyen commune that benefited from a program supporting the elimination of temporary or dilapidated houses for children of resistance fighters exposed to chemical toxins. Of these, six households received new houses and two received repairs.
For families facing particularly difficult circumstances, the 60 million VND support is a huge source of encouragement. With the joint efforts of the government, organizations, and relatives, sturdy roofs are gradually replacing the old, dilapidated houses that have been in disrepair for many years.
Join hands to build homes of gratitude.
Amidst the scorching summer sun, in many rural areas of Nghe An province , the sweat of cadres, soldiers, and youth union members silently falls on special construction projects. These are not just houses being built, but also homes of compassion for families of those who rendered meritorious service to the revolution, victims of Agent Orange, and their relatives.
In Quang Dong commune, the Youth Union, in coordination with the Commune Military Command, organized a campaign to support the family of Ms. Nguyen Thi Ha (residing in Ngoc Lien hamlet) in repairing and renovating their house as part of the program to eliminate temporary and dilapidated houses for children of resistance fighters affected by chemical toxins.
Behind the dilapidated house lies the story of Mrs. Ha and her daughter, filled with hardship. For many years, they have relied on each other in deprived living conditions. The cracked walls and leaky roof are not only a worry during the rainy season but also reflect the family's difficult life. Mrs. Ha herself suffers from the effects of chemical toxins, her health is declining, and her meager income makes repairing or rebuilding the house almost impossible.
Understanding the situation, dozens of youth union members and militia forces joined hands to help. Some dismantled old roof tiles, others transported bricks, stones, and cement, and still others cleared the site... Each task was carried out with a sense of responsibility and genuine sharing.
Construction activity is also progressing rapidly in the mountainous communes of Nghe An province under the scorching sun. In Pa Ti village, Yen Na commune, officers and soldiers of the commune's Military Command, along with youth union members, are busy assisting the family of Mr. Lo Van Dinh, son of Mr. Lo Thanh Doan, in building a new house. After more than two weeks of construction, the house frame is complete, and the walls are built to head height. If the weather is favorable, the house will be finished in about ten more days.
Major Ngan Khanh Thong, Deputy Political Commissar of the Yen Na Commune Military Command, said that Mr. Dinh is living with his mother and younger brother. Due to his mental health condition, most of the construction work is supported by the local government and the village management board.
The challenging terrain made construction extremely difficult. From the material staging area to the construction site, which was more than 2 km away, military personnel and youth union members had to use motorbikes and wheelbarrows to transport each bag of cement and each brick to the site.
According to the leaders of Yen Na commune, in addition to the 60 million VND support from the program, the locality also mobilized additional social resources, solicited contributions from families, and utilized usable materials from old houses to reduce costs while still ensuring the quality of the construction.
According to the plan, Nghe An province will build 120 new houses and repair 109 houses for the children of resistance fighters who were exposed to chemical toxins. Each household building a new house will receive 60 million VND in support, and each household repairing a house will receive 30 million VND, with a total budget of over 10.4 billion VND. The constructions must meet the "three solid" criteria, comply with the minimum area requirements, and be completed before July 27th.
From mid-April, the Nghe An Provincial Military Command directed the Military Commands of 130 communes and wards to coordinate with Party committees, authorities, and forces in the area to develop a plan to mobilize social resources, encourage the people, organizations, and armed forces to participate in supporting with labor and materials, determined to complete the program on schedule.
According to statistics, Nghe An currently has over 4,000 people affected by chemical toxins; among them, some families are still living in dilapidated houses that they cannot afford to repair. Therefore, each newly built house not only solves the housing need but also instills confidence in these families to stabilize their lives.
According to Mr. Thai Van Thanh, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Nghe An province, with the spirit of "leaving no one behind," from 2023 to the present, the entire province has supported the construction and repair of 20,802 houses; including 14,381 new houses and 6,421 repaired houses, with a total budget of over 3,116 billion VND along with millions of man-days of labor from officials, soldiers and people.
"The war is long over, but the consequences of chemical weapons still affect generations. Eliminating temporary and dilapidated houses is not only about social welfare but also a profound act of gratitude, demonstrating responsibility and appreciation for those who dedicated and sacrificed themselves for the independence and freedom of the Fatherland," Mr. Thai Van Thanh emphasized.
Source: https://tienphong.vn/dung-mai-am-se-chia-noi-dau-da-cam-post1855876.tpo
