Elder of the people's hearts

At 74 years old, Tou Prong Dzung, a son of Ka Do (Don Duong district), quietly and persistently contributes to the development of his homeland. For over 50 years, regardless of his position, Mr. Dzung has always been dedicated, responsible, and wholeheartedly devoted to the people of the ethnic minority community. For the people of Ka Do, Mr. Dzung is a strong spiritual pillar, contributing to fostering unity and bringing about change and development in the ethnic minority region.

Báo Lâm Đồng•27/04/2025

Già Tou Prong Dzung

From 1982 to 1989, Mr. Dzung served as a commune statistics and planning officer. Thanks to his dedication and close relationship with the people, he was elected Chairman of the People's Committee of Ka Đô commune for two consecutive terms. From 2000 to 2011, he continued to be trusted to hold the position of Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of the commune. Regardless of his position, Mr. Dzung always demonstrated the qualities of an exemplary official: dedicated, understanding, and wholeheartedly serving the people. "Being an official in ethnic minority areas requires not only determination, but also understanding, accompanying, and working with the people to overcome every difficulty," he shared.

With a practical mindset and foresight, Elder Dzung was always deeply concerned about essential issues directly affecting people's lives, such as irrigation water, electricity, education , and infrastructure. These "bottlenecks" had caused considerable difficulties for the people of Ka Đô commune. "Before, the local people could only grow one rice crop a year due to a lack of irrigation water. I boldly petitioned the authorities to pay attention and invest in building irrigation systems. With water, the people can now grow two rice crops and vegetables with higher yields, making life much less difficult," he recalled.

Continuing those concerns, Elder Dzung paid particular attention to the need for electricity for daily life. Around the 1960s, the villages of Ka Do Moi, Ka Do Cu, and Taly, where many ethnic minority people lived, still lacked electricity. Mobilizing people to contribute during such difficult times was no easy task. However, through his prestige and perseverance, he successfully rallied the villagers to work together to build the electricity system, gradually improving the living conditions of the villages.

Moreover, Mr. Dzung also devoted much of his passion to education. He proactively proposed and, together with the community, campaigned to build Ka Do 2 Primary School using both public and socialized funding. Thanks to this, the children in the area now have a more solid school building to study in with peace of mind.

One of the most significant achievements during his time as Chairman of the People's Committee of Ka Đô commune was his efforts in obtaining land use certificates for the people. He shared: "Back then, land was only documented by handwritten papers, which easily led to disputes. I contracted with the Provincial Land Service Center to survey and prepare documents for issuing land ownership certificates. The people agreed and contributed financially. Thanks to that, all land now has clear documentation, and disputes have almost disappeared."

In 2011, Mr. Dzung retired. But for him, "retirement" didn't mean "abandoning his passion." He continued to hold many important roles in the locality, such as Secretary of the village Party branch, Chairman of the Elderly Association, and a respected village elder in Ka Đô commune. He always believed: "Living in society, one must respect the constitution, laws, and regulations of the local government. Only then can we build a peaceful and stable life." With that thought in mind, he actively propagated the Party's policies and the State's laws to every household. "Whatever is good for the people, we must explain so that they understand and follow. Only when the State and the people work together can life become prosperous," he said.

As a Churu man, Elder Dzung has always been deeply concerned about the potential erosion of his ethnic cultural identity. In mid-2023, he proposed the establishment of the Ka Do Cu Village Gong and Drum Team, bringing together more than 20 members of various ages. Under his dedicated guidance, the sounds of gongs and drums resonate once again in the vast forest, contributing to preserving the cultural "soul" in the hearts of the younger generation.

With his enduring contributions, Elder Tou Prong Dzung was honored with a Certificate of Merit from the Prime Minister for his outstanding achievements in implementing ethnic policies. He has also received numerous awards from the province, district, and various organizations and associations. However, the reward he cherishes most is the daily transformation of his hometown, Ka Đô. “To live, to be connected to, and to contribute a small part to the development of the place where I was born, to witness Ka Đô becoming a model new rural commune, and to see the lives of the people becoming increasingly prosperous, that is my greatest pride,” Elder Dzung shared.

At the age of seventy, Tou Prong Dzung still quietly contributes to the development of his homeland, as he has done for over 50 years. For Dzung, it is a joy, a responsibility, and a way to express his love for the land that has been a part of his entire life.

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