Do it for a loss, and the people will sympathize.

Without needing flowery speeches, Mr. Tran Van Hay - Party Secretary and Head of Ngoc Tan Hamlet, Ngoc Chuc Commune - chose to be close to the people, understand them, and work alongside them to build trust and consensus. From guiding them through administrative procedures and mobilizing support for bridge and road construction to establishing a chicken farming group, he has brought about changes at the grassroots level.

In 2024, Mr. Tran Van Hay was recognized as a Party member who excellently fulfilled his duties, and the Ngoc Tan Hamlet Party Branch also excellently fulfilled its duties.

Building bridges, opening roads, bringing light to villages and hamlets.

In the mid-afternoon, Danh Khánh Lộc (34 years old) stopped his old motorbike in front of the Ngọc Tân hamlet office, holding a stack of papers, looking flustered. He intended to go to the commune office to handle administrative procedures related to land but didn't know where to start or what documents needed to be photocopied. Seeing this, Trần Văn Hây stepped out and asked, "Are you dealing with land-related paperwork? Let me see, I'll show you how to fill it out." A few minutes later, Hây wrote down a neat list of things to bring on a small piece of paper. Thanks to this, Lộc only had to go once to complete the process. "It was a small thing, but the people were very happy. Hây is meticulous in everything he does, and he's also approachable; everyone likes him," Lộc said.

People in Ngoc Tan hamlet jokingly call Mr. Hay "the hamlet's administrative officer" because anyone needing administrative procedures seeks his guidance to avoid multiple trips, saving time and money. This approachable nature and practical actions gradually built trust among the people, enabling him to effectively promote public works projects.

In 2022, Mr. Hay was assigned the position of Party Branch Secretary and Head of Ngoc Tan Hamlet. At that time, the hamlet still had many poor households and dilapidated roads. About 50% of the hamlet's population were Khmer people, and many were still hesitant to approach officials. "Initially, campaigning to build bridges and roads was very difficult. Everyone had different personalities; some listened, some were skeptical. You had to be sincere for people to believe you," Mr. Hay recounted. With that in mind, he began to work with concrete actions.

To date, he has mobilized resources to build 16 bridges and 2 rural roads totaling 5km, with a total cost of approximately 3 billion VND. Specifically, the 4.5km road from Provincial Road 963 to Canal 6 Thước (2km of which was built with contributions from local residents) was completed with the participation of 94 households, a clear example of effective grassroots mobilization. Mr. Hay proactively went to each house, explaining each part of the work in detail: the State provided materials, the people contributed money and labor, and voluntarily donated land if necessary for land clearance. With the spirit of the State and the people working together, each household contributed 650,000 VND and labor. Many households were willing to donate land to expand the road. "Mr. Hay explained everything clearly as he went along, so the people trusted him," said a resident in Ngoc Tan hamlet.

Not stopping there, Mr. Hay initiated the construction of a bright, green, clean, and beautiful road, installing lights and planting flowers on both sides. The people not only contributed money but also took turns caring for the plants and maintaining cleanliness. By the end of 2025, he continued to campaign for the construction of another 2km road to gradually complete the transportation infrastructure throughout the hamlet.

Helping people escape poverty

Mr. Hay was also concerned about the livelihoods of the people. Seeing that the villagers were raising chickens on a small scale, he mobilized the establishment of a free-range chicken farming association with 15 members, providing technical support and connecting them with markets. As a result, the average income of people in Ngoc Tan hamlet now reaches 69 million VND/year. Before 2022, Ngoc Tan hamlet had 33 poor households and 27 near-poor households. Currently, the hamlet has 13 poor households and 12 near-poor households out of a total of 439 households.

Mr. Tran Tay Hon (47 years old), residing in Ngoc Tan hamlet, said: "Uncle Hay grew up here since he was a child, living harmoniously and always helping anyone who asked. Sometimes he would mix mortar, carry stones, and work on the road alongside us. For the past few years, the hamlet has been brightly lit, the roads are beautiful, people have extra work, and their lives are more prosperous."

In addition to community projects, Mr. Hay also coordinated with philanthropists to donate charitable houses, essential goods, and Tet gifts to poor households. These small but practical actions contribute to social welfare work in the locality.

According to Ly Thanh Luan, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the People's Committee of Ngoc Chuc commune: “Comrade Tran Van Hay has demonstrated a pivotal and exemplary role in mobilizing and organizing implementation. His dedication, initiative, and responsibility have made him a strong bridge between the government and the people in the hamlet. Initiatives such as mobilizing land donations, building bridges and roads, and establishing a chicken farming association… all stem from practical life and have yielded clear results, contributing to changing the face of the rural area and improving the lives of the people.”

Mr. Tran Van Hay (on the left) - Party Branch Secretary and Head of Ngoc Tan Hamlet, along with local residents, inspects a rural traffic bridge completed in mid-July 2025.

Text and photos: BICH THUY

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/lam-thiet-dan-thuong-a424887.html