Houses of love

Doc May, memories for life

At the end of 2024, the old Quang Binh Provincial Border Guard Command, now the Provincial Border Guard Command, Lang Ho Border Post received a very humane "order": At all costs, 8 solidarity houses must be completed for 8 Bru-Van Kieu households in Doc May village so that people can celebrate the Lunar New Year 2025 in new houses.

Colonel Trinh Thanh Binh, Commander of the Provincial Border Guard Command, shared: “At that time, there were only about 15 days left until Tet, very urgent. But this was an order from the heart, so we had to find every way to complete it. Fortunately, through an introduction, we connected with Mr. Dinh Cong Trang, Director of Be Tuyen Private Enterprise, and Mr. Trang happily accepted, committing to ensure the house delivery schedule before Tet.”

Doc May village is the farthest and most difficult village of Truong Son commune, from the West branch of Ho Chi Minh road to the village, about 24km of unique forest road. The first time coming to Doc May village, although he has a lot of experience in construction works in remote villages of ethnic minorities, the difficulty is still beyond Trang's imagination. The convoy of vehicles carrying construction materials "crawled" on the precarious road next to high cliffs and deep ravines, traveling a whole day to reach the village.

Inauguration ceremony of 8 "great solidarity" houses in Doc May village constructed by Be Tuyen Private Enterprise - Photo: T.Long

Major Tran Huy Hoang, Deputy Political Commissar of Lang Mo Border Guard Station, recalled: “The construction of 8 “great solidarity” houses in Doc May village started on January 13, 2025, with a cost of 1.3 billion VND (more than 115 million VND/house), (not including transportation costs) and was completed within 10 days. The 10-day period was a process of “overcoming the sun, overcoming the rain, crossing the mud, and wading”, Border Guard officers and soldiers together with the contractor stayed in the village to ensure the construction progress. The great solidarity houses in Doc May village have an area of 50m2, plus an adjacent kitchen, separate from the main house, designed and constructed by the enterprise in the style of a prefabricated stilt house including concrete pillars, wooden floors and walls, rust-proof corrugated iron roof... ensuring solidity, safety, aesthetics, especially suitable for the customs and practices of the Bru-Van Kieu people”.

Director of Be Tuyen Private Enterprise Dinh Cong Trang happily said: “The 8 “great solidarity” houses in Doc May village are priceless to me, even though the enterprise had to make up for the losses because of extremely difficult roads and the construction in the pouring rain and cold. But above all, it is because of the promise, the love and responsibility to the people. We are happy when the people can celebrate the traditional New Year in new, warm and peaceful houses!”

Houses of love

After more than 20 years in the profession, Mr. Dinh Cong Trang cannot remember how many houses he has built for ethnic minorities in the Truong Son mountains of Quang Tri province. He only feels happy because many villages have changed, life is more prosperous, in which he has partly contributed.

He shared: “The prefabricated house designed and constructed by our company is suitable for the living habits of ethnic minorities in the mountainous areas of Quang Tri province. With an area of about 50 square meters, the price ranges from 95 million VND to 115 million VND depending on the distance, favorable or difficult traffic conditions. The house construction method is simple, fast, and durable.”

Director of Be Tuyen Private Enterprise Dinh Cong Trang (left), the person who built houses of love for ethnic minorities in Quang Tri province - Photo: T.Long

In the final stage of the program to eliminate temporary and dilapidated houses for poor and near-poor households, Be Tuyen Private Enterprise has completed 60 houses for ethnic minorities in Quang Tri province. "Currently, 40 houses in the northern mountainous area of the province are in the process of completion. We are focusing on human resources and materials to soon hand over to people for use," added Mr. Dinh Cong Trang.

A long journey of building houses for poor households and ethnic minorities, with many touching stories that Mr. Trang will never forget. He said: “The historic flood in 2020 in Quang Tri province (old) swept away many villages in Huong Viet commune, Huong Hoa district (now Huong Lap commune), many families fell into the situation of sleeping on the ground. Rebuilding houses for people was almost impossible. At this time, the Lunar New Year was approaching. My story of building houses for poor households "spread far and wide", the leaders of Huong Viet commune and benefactors came to me for help. After understanding the situation, I confirmed that I could do it. So I started casting columns, digging foundations, sawing wood, assembling structures, building houses... On the 15th of December, Canh Ty year, 8 stilt houses worth 400 million VND were completed and handed over to the people of Huong Viet commune in joy and happiness."

Together with the whole country implementing the program of eliminating temporary and dilapidated houses for poor and near-poor households, Be Tuyen Private Enterprise continues to accompany the Party Committee, authorities, and people in remote, mountainous areas to build happy houses, bringing great joy to ethnic minorities in the middle of the Truong Son range. "A house for ethnic minorities completed on time and on schedule is another joy multiplied", Mr. Dinh Cong Trang shared.

Dragon Fruit

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/xa-hoi/202509/nhung-nep-nha-nghia-tinh-c085302/