A year of rising from poverty

LANG SON With the support of two breeding cows and his own hard work, Mr. Quyen rose from poverty in just over a year.

Starting with 2 breeding cows

In the afternoon in Con Ngoa village, in the smoky kitchen after a late dinner, Mr. Hua Van Quyen carefully cleaned up each pot and bowl. After finishing his work, he leisurely walked to the cowshed, where his family's hopes were kept.

Mr. Quyen has escaped poverty after just over a year of receiving breeding cows supported by the state. Photo: Hoang Nghia.

Without the misty fog or the green hills, Mr. Quyen's life is much simpler: in the morning he cuts grass, at noon he works in the fields, in the afternoon he cleans the barn, and in the evening he checks the cows to prevent disease. This regular rhythm of life has helped him go a distance that he himself did not dare to think of before: escaping poverty in just over a year.

“My family used to want to raise cows, but we didn’t have the capital to do so. The government supported us with two breeding cows, and I tried to take good care of them. Now, from the original two cows, we have given birth to three more, so in total we have five,” he said, his voice simple but full of pride.

The herd of cows did not come from a miracle, but from staying up late at night to cut extra grass, from running out to cover the barn on rainy nights, and from taking the cows to water on time on sunny days.

“Raising cows is hard work, everything has to be done right, but it is clearly a source of income. If you take good care of them, they can be sold, which helps ease a lot of the family’s difficulties,” Mr. Quyen continued.

From near poverty to having savings

Mr. Quyen not only raises cows but also plants acacia and eucalyptus, tends the rice fields, and raises chickens and ducks to help his family save money. He does whatever he can, not wasting a single day's work.

“My family only has a small amount of rice fields and forests. It will take time for planted forests to yield harvests. But having more cows like this will give us a direction for business and more savings,” he shared.

In 2023, he received support for cows, and in 2024, he escaped poverty. Fast, but not in a hurry. Sustainable because of his own hands. “I was a near-poor household before, I worked hard, and by 2024, I had escaped poverty. Looking back, I am happy because I have assets in hand, something to build on. Now, when my children are grown and some have families, what makes me happiest is that I don’t have to worry about daily meals like before,” he confided.

A typical example of self-reliance

Mr. Vu Bien, Chairman of the People's Committee of Thuy Hung Commune, said that Mr. Quyen's case is a clear demonstration of the commune's new poverty reduction method: right model - right people - right development capacity.

“The outstanding points of Mr. Quyen are his diligence and determination. The policy to support cow breeding is just the beginning. The important thing is that he grasped the opportunity and turned it into a path to escape poverty,” he said.

According to Mr. Bien, when the commune chooses to support breeding cows for near-poor households, the goal is not to "give breeding animals", but to give tools to create a stable income. The commune also does not let people manage on their own but always has veterinary staff to guide and closely monitor the breeding process.

Mr. Quyen's forest is growing evenly and greenly, as proof that a sustainable livelihood is gradually taking shape. Photo: Hoang Nghia.

“Mr. Quyen’s family escaping poverty after just over a year is a remarkable case. His way of doing things demonstrates the mindset of saving, accumulating, and calculating the path to escape poverty. This is exactly what the commune wants to replicate,” he added.

New livelihoods for a stable future

When it gets dark, Mr. Quyen locks the barn, walks around the yard checking every tool and every bundle of straw. This habit is not only to keep the cows safe, but also to remind himself: even though he has escaped poverty, he cannot be complacent.

The cows are the family’s valuable assets. The fields still provide rice every season. The acacia forests are savings for the coming years. All of this forms a new foundation for his family: more stable, more proactive and more confident.

And among the dirt roads still marked by cows' hoofprints, Mr. Hua Van Quyen's story of escaping poverty is becoming a spreading motivation for many other households to dare to believe that: poverty is not destiny, just need to start the right way and not give up.

Source https://nongnghiepmoitruong.vn/mot-nam-dung-day-tu-ngheo-kho-d786234.html