Dreams
While serving in the United Nations peacekeeping mission MINUSCA (United Nations Integrated Multi-Dimensional Peacekeeping Mission in the Central African Republic), I witnessed the blossoming of hope on the harsh land of the Central African Republic. The face of the capital, Bangui, is changing daily; the presidential election was successful; the judicial system is undergoing changes; and traffic lights have been installed on some roads. Many strategic areas have been handed over to the government by the Mission; ceasefire agreements have opened the way for dialogue with armed groups; and tens of thousands of refugees have returned after years of separation.
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| Vietnamese peacekeeping officers with children in the Central African Republic. |
However, behind these optimistic signs, the process of building a national unity government remains a challenging task. Across an area of over 600,000 square kilometers with nearly 6 million people, security remains fragile and unpredictable, leaving people's lives still bleak and heartbreaking.
The instability of the Central African Republic is the result of a vicious cycle: ethnic/religious conflict – political coups – economic ruin. The country has been caught in a spiral of instability almost continuously since gaining independence in 1960. In particular, the devastating civil wars since 2012 have displaced millions, disrupted production, and perpetuated poverty. It is no coincidence that the Central African Republic consistently ranks among the three poorest countries in the world according to the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI).
Paradoxically, this land is rich in resources, with gold and diamond mines, yet this prosperity has never been present in the lives of its working people.
The biggest victims of this cycle of instability are future generations. According to a 2024-2026 report by the United Nations Educational , Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and UNICEF, education here is at an alarming level. The dropout rate across all levels of education is a heartbreaking reality, with only about 40% of girls and 58.4% of boys completing primary school. At the high school level, this figure is a mere 9.2% for girls and 14.6% for boys.
How many children have had their dreams taken away? Children forced to work from early morning until late at night instead of going to school to help their families survive. The moment nine-year-old Malekatcha held a piece of metal and mimicked my pose for a photograph, my heart melted. The way he held the metal, his smile, and the radiant, sparkling eyes through the tiny hole in the metal were like a true artist capturing a moment in life. He must have had a soul for photography, because unconsciously, his movements were strangely perfect. He must have had a dream!
Clutching the scale to his chest, 10-year-old Mamadou Youssouf's eyes held a hint of sadness, perhaps because there weren't many customers today. The faded surface of the scale still clearly displayed the images of football players. The boy surely has dreams too!
With a bucket of popcorn still full on his head, and the afternoon drawing to a close, 14-year-old Djouma Ali Bani gazed blankly at the crowd. Perhaps his wish at that moment was for the bucket of popcorn to be empty...
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| Life is not easy for children in conflict-ridden countries. |
Currently, the Central African government is persistently strengthening its governance foundations and affirming its aspiration for stability. However, true peace is not just about reported figures. Peace is only truly present when people can go to their fields without fear of abduction; when transportation routes are free from illegal toll booths. The presence of government missions and forces is not only for deterrence, but more importantly, to create a "safe space" for trust to flourish. Peace means smooth and safe trade, stable commodity prices. Peace means children can go to school instead of carrying guns, when disarmament and reintegration programs help young soldiers find sustainable livelihoods to truly return to their communities. And above all, peace bears the face of ethnic harmony, so that small lives are no longer trapped in the cruel cycle of illiteracy, poverty, and instability.
The power of unity
In Bangui, every evening after work, my biggest worry is sometimes so simple: Will there be electricity and running water where I live tonight? During those long, drawn-out nights without electricity, with the stifling heat enveloping the pitch-black darkness, I feel a surge of homesickness, a longing for the bright lights of my homeland. In Vietnam, we sometimes take electricity and running water for granted, forgetting that these conveniences were once bought with the blood and sacrifices of generations before us.
Vietnam's remarkable development today is the greatest fruit of a peace coupled with sustainable economic development over the past half-century. The current generation of Vietnamese youth not only has access to cutting-edge technology and education but also lives and thrives within an increasingly完善 social security system, where vulnerable groups are always cared for with the spirit of "no one is left behind." This is the most vivid proof of the tradition of "loving others as oneself," and of the spirit of national unity deeply ingrained in the blood of every Vietnamese person.
Working at the MINUSCA mission in a French-speaking environment, I often encountered surprised raised eyebrows from my international colleagues. They wondered, "Why, since Vietnam was colonized for longer than we were, doesn't speak French?" At those moments, an indescribable sense of pride welled up in my chest because "Vietnam possesses a spirit of unity and an incredibly resilient culture, a strong identity that no power can assimilate."
Through the lens of a nation torn apart, I understand that when a country is divided both ideologically and geographically, national resources will be consumed in the flames of civil war. Therefore, peace is not merely the absence of gunfire, but a daily choice made by each citizen. The value of peace is priceless, and its sustainability can only be protected when each citizen builds for themselves a "fortress" of solidarity, self-respect, and national self-reliance.
The reality has proven Vietnam's resilience; from a country devastated by war and dependent on aid, we have risen to become a nation actively contributing to world peace. As a people who have experienced the ups and downs of war, we understand better than anyone the absolute value of unity.
From distant Bangui, heading towards my homeland in the glorious golden sunshine of April, I carry with me the sparkling smile of little Malekatcha and the belief that one day, the small hole in his scrap metal will truly become the lens of a modern camera, capturing a verdant, peaceful Central African nation free from the sound of gunfire. True peace always begins with us cherishing and preserving the dreams of children!
Source: https://baosonla.vn/nhan-vat-su-kien/hoa-binh-la-lua-chon-P9cDWhovR.html
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