Bridges built by local people in Van Khanh.

The new bridges in Van Khanh commune facilitate convenient travel for the people. Notably, many of these projects were built through the efforts of the local people, with the cooperation of the government, creating a positive atmosphere for building a new rural area.

Residents of Van Khanh commune join hands to contribute labor to build the Kinh Bau Sau bridge. Photo: BICH THUY

In the midday April sun, in Kim Qui A1 hamlet, the rhythmic sound of concrete mixers echoed along the small canal. More than 20 villagers were still working diligently. Some were shoveling sand, others carrying cement, and still others passing buckets of mortar onto the bridge deck. Sweat soaked their shirts, but laughter and conversation still filled the air. The construction project is the Kinh Bau Sau bridge, 29 meters long, 3 meters wide, with a load capacity of 3 tons, costing over 220 million VND. The funding for the construction is 100% provided by philanthropists, and the local people have contributed their labor. The bridge is expected to be completed and put into use by the end of April.

Mr. Doan Minh Nang (65 years old), residing in Kim Qui A1 hamlet, while transferring construction materials for the bridge, said that his family cooks meals for more than 20 people every day and directly participates in building the bridge with the villagers. “The old iron bridge, built more than 15 years ago, was dilapidated and posed a potential danger. Now that there's a new bridge, everyone is happy, so I'm trying to contribute a little,” Mr. Nang said.

Mr. Nang's joy is also the shared joy of more than 1,200 households in the Kim Qui A1, Kim Qui A2, Phat Dat, Kinh 5 Dat Set, Cay Go hamlets and the area bordering U Minh commune, Ca Mau province. The completion of the new bridge makes travel and transportation of goods more convenient for residents and students; and ensures safer journeys to school for students.

Mr. Huynh Van Khanh, Head of the Front Committee of Kim Qui A1 hamlet, said that in addition to support from philanthropists, the local authorities also mobilized residents living along the road to contribute from 20,000 VND to 1 million VND to cover cooking expenses during the bridge construction period. “We held a meeting with the residents, explaining that the bridge primarily serves the people, so everyone agreed. Those who could afford it contributed money, while those with less could contribute labor,” Mr. Khanh shared.

The story at Kinh Bau Sau bridge in Kim Qui A1 hamlet is a vivid example of the "Skillfully mobilizing resources to build rural transportation bridges" model implemented by the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Van Khanh commune since 2020. At that time, the commune still had many old, dilapidated bridges, and in some places, no bridges at all, making travel difficult for the people. The lack of a synchronized rural transportation bridge system affected the criteria for building advanced new rural areas and the socio-economic development of the locality.

According to Ms. Vo Thi Hong Ut, Chairwoman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Van Khanh commune, based on this practical need, the commune determined that it could not rely solely on the state budget but had to leverage the people's strength and mobilize social resources to build bridges for the people. Every year, the Fatherland Front, in coordination with the People's Committee of the commune and the hamlets, reviews dilapidated bridges and areas without bridges, then organizes meetings with the people to gather opinions and create consensus before mobilizing resources for implementation.

“Following the principle of the State and the People working together, the commune's Fatherland Front connects philanthropists and businesses; the local government provides procedural and technical support; and the people contribute money, labor, and land if needed. The most difficult challenges were sometimes the lack of funding and land acquisition issues at both ends of the bridge, but when officials came to explain things openly and transparently, the people supported it,” Ms. Ut said.

Through a people-centered approach, respecting and relying on the people, from 2020 to 2025, Van Khanh commune will build 40 concrete and steel-pillar bridges, with a total cost of over 14 billion VND. Of this, philanthropists and businesses contributed 8.6 billion VND, the state budget 1.3 billion VND, and the people contributed over 4.5 billion VND along with thousands of man-days of labor. In 2026 alone, the commune will implement 10 rural traffic bridges, with 5 already started, costing over 2.6 billion VND and thousands of man-days of labor, contributing to the spread of the "Effective People Mobilization" model at the grassroots level.

Currently, Van Khanh commune has 100 "Effective Mass Mobilization" models, of which 65 are operating effectively, and 21 exemplary models have been proposed at the provincial level. Notable examples include the construction of rural transportation bridges, solidarity houses, caring for disadvantaged people, environmental protection, maintaining security and order, and developing household economies.

Ms. Pham Thi Cam Ha, Permanent Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairwoman of the People's Council of Van Khanh commune, said that the "Skilled Mass Mobilization" emulation movement in the commune has achieved many positive results in recent times, becoming increasingly in-depth with many practical models. More importantly, the movement has awakened the spirit of self-awareness and responsibility of the people, creating high consensus in society.

In the coming period, Van Khanh commune will continue to improve the quality of the movement in a practical and sustainable manner; replicate effective models associated with socio-economic development, digital transformation, and administrative reform; and at the same time, promote the exemplary role of cadres and Party members, strengthen dialogue and listening to consolidate the people's trust in the Party and local government.

BICH THUY

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/nhung-cay-cau-tu-suc-dan-o-van-khanh-a483355.html