Reputable individuals contribute to building a new life in Kep commune.

BAC NINH - At 73 years old, Mr. Nong Van Tu, a Tay ethnic minority and respected figure in Don Cau Bang village, Kep commune (Bac Ninh province), still walks briskly along the mountain roads. To the local people, he is a skilled communicator, a clever mediator, and the "keeper of the flame" of the village. Through many years of dedication, he has made significant contributions to building a united and developing community, with living standards improving day by day.

Báo Bắc Ninh•15/12/2025

Contributing to infrastructure development

Từ trung tâm xã Kép, chúng tôi theo con đường bê tông uốn lượn quanh những đồi keo để đến thôn Đồn Cầu Bằng. Vừa đi, chị Triệu Thị Liễu, cán bộ Phòng Văn hóa - Xã hội vừa kể: Ở vùng có đông đồng bào dân tộc thiểu số sinh sống thì những người có uy tín như bác Tựa rất quan trọng trong xây dựng khối đại đoàn kết và tuyên truyền, vận động Nhân dân.

Mr. Nong Van Tu (far left) with village and commune officials assessing the situation of the people.

Upon meeting him, we were impressed by his agility and liveliness; his tall, slender figure and gentle smile. As he guided us around the village, he briefly recounted his life story. We learned that Mr. Tựa was born in Lang Son province. His father was a soldier stationed in this area, so at the age of six, he moved here with his parents and has lived here ever since. In 1971, he enlisted and fought to defend the country. In 1976, after being discharged from the army with a 4/4 disability, he continued to dedicate himself to his homeland through practical and meaningful work.

He joined the Agricultural Cooperative as a production team secretary, then as Deputy Chairman. His time working there gave him a deep understanding of the people's lives and production, and a clear grasp of their difficulties and obstacles in their livelihoods. Later, he continued to participate in Party and government work in Huong Son commune (before the merger) as Chairman of the Fatherland Front Committee and Chairman of the Elderly Association of the commune until June 2025. Regardless of his position, Mr. Tua always maintained a working style that was close to the people, listening to them, saying what they needed to hear, and doing what the community needed. It was this sincerity and exemplary conduct that built his reputation within the ethnic minority community.

Mr. Nong Van Tu.

Don Cau Bang village has 204 households with over 700 inhabitants, of which nearly 40% are ethnic minorities, mainly Tay and Nung people. The villagers' lives mainly depend on forestry and agricultural production. In this context, respected community leaders play a particularly important role in uniting the people, fostering consensus, and implementing policies and guidelines.

In recent years, the appearance of the rural area of Don Cau Bang has gradually improved. Roads have been concreted and widened, facilitating the daily lives and production of the people. Throughout this process, Mr. Nong Van Tu has always been at the forefront of propaganda and mobilization efforts. In 2020, when the village implemented the new rural development program, the expansion of the main road from 3m to 4m, with some sections reaching 4.5m, faced considerable concerns due to land disputes among households. As a respected figure, Mr. Tu, along with the village leadership, visited each family to discuss and explain the long-term benefits in detail. Thanks to his perseverance and exemplary conduct, the villagers gradually agreed and joined hands in the project. When the road was completed, travel and transportation of agricultural and forestry products became easier, and the lives of the people gradually improved.

Recently, the village continued to pave with concrete a nearly 200-meter-long road leading to the cemetery. This project required a high level of consensus from the people, including land donation. Mr. Tựa and the village leadership continued to go door-to-door to persuade them. In particular, Mr. Nguyễn Văn Sần's household voluntarily donated 150 square meters of land for reforestation, facilitating the project's implementation. Monthly and quarterly, Mr. Tựa and the village leaders organize and mobilize the people to clean up the grounds, cultural center, and village roads and alleys, creating a green, clean, and beautiful environment for community activities. The street lighting system in the alleys has been completed and is regularly maintained to ensure security in the village at night.

Let's build a new life together.

Not only is Mr. Nong Van Tua involved in infrastructure development, but he is also actively involved in maintaining stability and unity within the community. Whenever conflicts or disputes arise in the village, villagers often turn to him for mediation. With his gentle and reasonable approach, many issues are resolved promptly, preventing them from escalating and causing disunity. Mr. Dinh Van Dien, Head of the Village Front Committee, said: “Mr. Tua is a respected figure in the village, actively participating in disseminating information and mobilizing the people to comply with policies. His voice is heard, especially in resolving disputes, conflicts, and in land clearance efforts. Anything difficult is resolved quickly and smoothly when Mr. Tua is involved.”

The landscape in Don Cau Bang village is becoming increasingly bright, green, clean, and beautiful.

Together with village and commune officials, Mr. Tựa actively propagated the Party and State's policies and guidelines to the people, encouraging them to compete in labor and production, and develop their family economies. He often emphasized that, along with government support, each family needs to proactively strive to improve, apply scientific and technological advancements to production, and know how to prevent and mitigate natural disasters, severe cold, and frost to minimize risks. With this approach, the village has seen the emergence of many effective economic models such as growing pomelos, sugarcane, corn, and raising chickens, pigs, and processing timber. These models not only generate high incomes but also contribute to job creation for rural workers. Thanks to his effective economic development efforts, the lives of the villagers have gradually stabilized, with the current average per capita income estimated at over 60 million VND/person/year. Of these, more than 15% of households have an income exceeding 500 million VND/year, and 40% have an income between 200 and 500 million VND/year. Thanks to the collective efforts of the entire community, by 2025, Don Cau Bang village will have only 4 poor households and 10 near-poor households.

Over the years, in response to the "National Movement for Solidarity in Building a New Cultural Lifestyle in Residential Areas," Mr. Nong Van Tu, along with the Front Committee and other organizations, has regularly propagated and encouraged the people to preserve the good customs and traditions of ethnic minorities, while gradually eliminating outdated practices. Weddings and funerals are organized more simply and civilly; the spirit of solidarity and mutual assistance within the community is increasingly strengthened. He also actively participates in cultural activities, contributing to the preservation and promotion of the identity of the Tay and Nung ethnic groups, creating a healthy and cohesive community atmosphere. The percentage of households meeting the standards of a culturally exemplary family annually exceeds 90%.

Despite his advanced age, he maintains a simple lifestyle, frequently meeting with villagers to understand their situation and listen to their concerns. He believes that a reputable person is not someone who talks a lot, but someone who speaks at the right time, does the right thing, and is ready to step up when the community needs them. "In everything, we must be exemplary and lead the way so that the people will trust and follow. In propaganda work, we must explain things thoroughly and in a way that is easy for the villagers to understand," Mr. Tựa shared.

For his positive contributions, Mr. Nong Van Tu has received numerous awards and commendations. These include Certificates of Merit from the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee and the Minister in charge of the Committee for Ethnic Minorities Affairs. Recently, he was commended by the Provincial Party Committee's Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Department for his outstanding achievements in mass mobilization work in ethnic minority areas in 2025.

Comment (0)