Happiness in Ba Khuy

After years of anticipation, on the eve of the Lunar New Year of the Horse 2026, electricity from the national grid has finally reached the people of Ba Khuy village, Tan Hop commune, bringing a warmer and happier New Year filled with light and joy.

A month has passed, but for the Mong ethnic people of Ba Khuy village, the first Tet (Lunar New Year) with the presence of high-power electrical appliances still evokes the same emotions. In the final days of the year, the entire village of Ba Khuy was bustling with excitement, eagerly awaiting the unprecedented event - the connection to the national power grid.

Mr. Cu A Chinh still remembers that moment: “On the 25th of the twelfth lunar month, the electricity was switched on, the lights shone brightly, and the whole village was as joyful as a festival. Besides cleaning our houses and making traditional cakes, we also installed flashing lights. Those who were better off bought televisions, speakers, refrigerators…”

On the night of the 30th of Tet (Lunar New Year's Eve), Ba Khuy was brightly lit for the first time. Electric lights from each house connected to form streaks of light that permeated the mountainside, which was usually pitch black when night fell. People formed groups, going from house to house to wish each other a Happy New Year, chatting and laughing until late at night without having to worry about the darkness as before.

Chinh said excitedly, "Our village has never been this bright. People are saying to each other, 'This Tet holiday is as bright as in the lowlands!'" The sounds of spring also became more vibrant through the small loudspeakers, echoing throughout the village.

A new rhythm of life has truly begun in the highlands, once a place of early sleep illuminated by the flickering firelight. After Tet (Lunar New Year), the joy didn't stop there; it quickly transformed into a driving force for development. Previously unfulfilled plans now have the conditions to become reality.

Sung A Sua's family has boldly invested over 100 million VND in purchasing equipment such as rice milling machines, grinding machines, and bean grinders to serve the needs of their family and the villagers.

Mr. Súa shared: “I’ve intended to buy various types of machinery for a long time, but previously, due to weak electricity and low power, I could only use light bulbs and fans. Now that we have grid electricity, I immediately invested in purchasing electrical equipment for production and daily life, because I’ve been waiting for this opportunity for a very long time.”

The small machines he invested in have significantly reduced his labor, saved time, and improved production efficiency. Every afternoon, Mr. Sua makes hot tofu to sell to people in the village.

With his large machine, Mr. Sua grinds over 2 kg of soybeans in less than 10 minutes, but if he were to grind them using a stone mortar and pestle, it would take more than an hour. Mr. Sua excitedly shared his plans:

Now that we have electricity, we need to think about ways to develop the economy . Besides making tofu, I've also started offering services like grinding rice for sticky rice cakes, grinding corn, and milling rice. Later, if I have the means, I'll buy more machinery to do even more.

It is clear that the path out of poverty and income improvement is being clearly defined for the people of Ba Khuy with the support of the electricity grid. With electricity, children have better learning opportunities – this is a long-term investment in the future.

With electricity, information reaches people faster, helping them avoid falling behind. With electricity, livelihoods will be more sustainable. To date, Ba Khuy village still has 12 poor households, accounting for 14%. By 2026, the village aims to reduce the number of poor households by at least 2; striving to eliminate all poor households and prevent the emergence of new poor households by the end of the term.

Having access to the power grid was a crucial turning point for the village's development. We promoted and encouraged people to change their production mindset, apply science and technology to production; cultivate organic cinnamon and medicinal plants under the forest canopy, and engage in commercial livestock farming linked to tourism development.

A Cư A Páo - Deputy Secretary of the Party Branch of Ba Khuy village

The electric lights illuminating Ba Khuy affirm the Party and State's commitment to investing in and gradually improving infrastructure for people in disadvantaged areas. The power poles erected amidst the vast forests and the power lines strung across the mountain slopes are clear evidence of this.

From a place shrouded in darkness, Ba Khuy has gradually transformed, becoming more steadfast on the path of development – ​​a path illuminated by the attention of the Party and the State, and the indomitable spirit of its own people.

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/hanh-phuc-o-ba-khuy-post896880.html