Constructions 'redrawn' by people's power

The Pioneers

In Minh Tien village, Tan My commune, in the past, to produce and exploit forests, people had to go through small, narrow roads every day, especially in the rainy season when it was even more difficult. The population was sparse, so mobilizing funds to build a concrete road became too much for households.

When the project of the flood-crossing road upstream of Da Lam reservoir in Khe Bua area was implemented, the people here seemed to have more hope. According to the design, the road is about 1.2km long, the road surface is made of concrete and 3.5m wide. The road is built not only to create conditions for people to develop forests, ensure timely fire prevention and fighting, but also to create connectivity and a smooth traffic network between villages in the commune, convenient for socio -economic development, new rural construction...

Mr. Ngo Xuan Truong (white shirt), Minh Tien village, Tan My commune, is a pioneer in donating land and trees to build roads - Photo: NH

The house of Mr. Ngo Xuan Truong (born in 1983), in Minh Tien village, Tan My commune, is nestled in the middle of a vast acacia forest. Mr. Truong warmly welcomed us with a firm handshake. After a few greetings, with a cup of strong green tea that had just been poured, Mr. Truong began to tell us about his family life and his "journey" of donating land. In the early 90s, he followed his parents to the new economic zone of Khe Bua to start a business. At that time, this land was full of weeds growing close together. The family had many children and no land, so the whole family started to reclaim land to grow cassava and sweet potatoes to make ends meet. In 1998, when the Vietnam-Germany forest project was implemented, his family was granted nearly 2 hectares of land to plant forests, and then expanded the area to more than 4 hectares.

“In early 2025, when I started to clear the land to prepare for the road construction, I immediately proposed to the local authorities and the project implementation unit that if the road was built straight, I would not accept compensation for all the land and forest trees that passed through my garden. Based on my opinion, the project management unit "redrawn" a straight road. Through many times of "taking land", my family donated nearly 300m in length and more than 1,500 acacia trees. After that, I continued to mobilize my children and neighbors to donate about 1,000m2 of land to build a road," Mr. Truong informed.

The house of Mr. Vo Van Sang (born in 1954) in Nam Thai village is located next to Da Lam reservoir. Mr. Sang is one of the pioneers in the locality who donated land and trees so that the authorities could have more land to upgrade, repair and build this irrigation project.

Pointing to the main road in front of the house, Mr. Vo Van Suot (born 1993), Mr. Sang's son, said that this place used to be the road leading to my house. Now, the construction unit has used it to expand the flow of Da Lam reservoir, so my family has opened another, longer path to the house. My father said that this is a State project serving the people, our descendants will also benefit from it in the future. If we do not donate the land, the State will have to pay more money to compensate for the land to do this project.

Secretary of the Nam Thai village Party cell, Nguyen Van Hoang, said that the land donation of Mr. Sang's family not only helps the locality to do a good job in site clearance but also makes it easier for the construction unit to carry out the work. Currently, Mr. Sang's family is preparing to donate an additional 17m of land to make a slope to retain land for the people. To date, Mr. Sang has donated about 300m2 of land to expand the flow of Da Lam reservoir.

Mr. Vo Van Sang's family donated a lot of land, including a road, to expand the flow of Da Lam reservoir - Photo: NH

Contribute to spreading the land donation movement

In the conversation with the simple farmers in Minh Tien and Nam Thai villages, we realized their saying, "If everyone demands compensation, there will be no roads of the people's hearts and strength!"

Mr. Le Van Dung, former Party Secretary of Thai Thuy Commune (formerly Quang Binh Province), shared that the “problem” of socio-economic development has always haunted the memories of many generations of people here. Because, Thai Thuy Commune used to be a locality that benefited from Program 135 for communes with special difficulties in mountainous and remote areas. It was not until 2017 that the locality exited this program.

Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Tan My Commune Nguyen Van Vung shared that the new roads and works serving the people in Minh Tien and Nam Thai villages, which were "redrawn" from the people's strength, are a vivid proof of the power of consensus, of the spirit of "each person is a subject in building new rural areas". And certainly, that beauty will spread and multiply in many other rural areas, so that the homeland will become more prosperous, civilized and rich.

"To get the consensus, responsibility and contribution of the people in donating land and trees like today is a long process of propaganda, mobilization, leadership and direction of the Party Committee, government, and the participation of local organizations. In particular, the pioneering and responsibility of some local households is indispensable," Mr. Dung confided.

Deputy Head of the Inspection Committee of the Tan My Commune Party Committee (former Chairman of the Thai Thuy Commune People's Committee) Le Thuan Van informed that in 2021, the locality reached the new rural finish line. To have the appearance today, we must thank the hearts of the people. From small things like donating a few meters of land to big things like donating hundreds of meters, all stem from love for the homeland, responsibility to the community and society.

Walking on the new roads that are beginning to take shape in Minh Tien village, listening to the sound of bulldozers and excavators combined with the voices and laughter of the people, we can understand that the generosity and pioneering spirit of the people here has contributed to strongly spreading the movement of donating land to build roads, making the countryside more prosperous, beautiful and rich.

Ngoc Hai

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/xa-hoi/202510/nhung-cong-trinh-duoc-ve-lai-boi-suc-dan-010158a/