Phum squirrel happily welcomes the full and warm Chol Chnam Thmay Tet

In the days leading up to Chol Chnam Thmay Tet, when we have the opportunity to visit villages with large Khmer compatriots, we can feel the traditional Tet atmosphere of our compatriots. Khmer families, outside of working and production hours, take the time to prepare, clean, and decorate their houses to make them clean and beautiful. Artisans focus on editing pentatonic musical instruments. Young men and women are engrossed in practicing traditional dances to prepare to show off their talents and beauty in the upcoming Tet days...

Celebrating the new year, the traditional Chol Chnam Thmay festival, Khmer people excitedly expect good things in the year. (Photo: Phuong Nghi)

Coming to Minh Hoa commune (Chau Thanh district, Kien Giang province) to see all the changes of this place. Along the paved roads and rural concrete roads, new houses were built promptly to help Khmer households no longer worry about leaking houses during the rainy and stormy season.

As one of the households receiving housing support from the National Target Program for socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas (National Target Program 1719), Mr. Danh Thang's family lives in Hoa Hung hamlet, Minh Hoa commune is happy that the family's new house has been completed for more than 3 months. As an old veteran with weak health, for many years, Mr. Thang and his family lived together in an old, severely degraded house. When the State supported him with 50 million VND, his family contributed more than 20 million VND to build a new house.

Mr. Danh Thang shared his joy: "Having received the State's attention and support to build a new house, my family and I are very touched and grateful. Now my family no longer has to worry about having to use buckets and basins to catch water in the house when it rains because the roof leaks in many places. Celebrating Chol Chnam Thmay this year, my family will be very happy."

Mr. Danh Thang's family living in Hoa Hung hamlet, Minh Hoa commune (Chau Thanh district, Kien Giang province) received the house from housing support capital from the National Target Program 1719. (Photo: Phuong Nghi )

As one of the Khmer ethnic households receiving housing support from the locality, Ms. Danh Thi Heng, in hamlet 6, Vinh Hoa Hung Nam commune (Go Quao district, Kien Giang province) shared: "Family life is difficult, The couple's main source of income is from working as workers and hired labor. Taking care of food and clothing for our children is also our top priority. Therefore, even though they have to live in a dilapidated level 4 house, the family does not have the conditions to repair or renovate.

At the most difficult times, families are facilitated by the government to access preferential policy capital sources according to Decree No. 28/2022/ND-CP (on preferential credit policies to implement the National Target Program 1719 ), to build houses. From this money, my family was able to build a new house with an area of ​​32 square meters². Now, my husband and I work hard to take care of our lives."

Mr. Danh Phuc, Head of the Ethnic Committee of Kien Giang province said: "After more than 3 years of implementing the National Target Program 1719 for the period 2021-2025; By the end of 2023, Kien Giang will deploy residential land support for 31 households; housing support for 383 households; Deploying support for production land and job change for 236 households; solving distributed domestic water for 472 households; Upgrade and expand 14 domestic water projects concentrated in ethnic minority areas with a total implementation cost of over 74 billion VND. Up to now, the shortage of residential land, housing, production land, and running water has basically been resolved.

Regarding communes where many Khmer people live such as Vinh Trach Dong (Bac Lieu city), Hung Hoi (Vinh Loi district), Vinh Hau A (Hoa Binh district), Loc Ninh (Hong Dan district), Vinh Phu Dong ( Phuoc Long district)..., walking on the roads leading to the phum and squirrel villages, we saw the bustling atmosphere of the New Year celebrations of Khmer people in Bac Lieu. Seeing the beautiful scenery of Phum Soc today, clearly feeling the presence and great benefits from policies for the people that have brought many projects to especially difficult communes and hamlets to meet life needs. people's livelihood, serving local socio-economic development requirements.

Requiem ceremony during the traditional Chol Chnam Thmay Tet at Xiem Can Pagoda, City. Bac Lieu, Bac Lieu province. (Photo: Phuong Nghi)

According to Venerable Huu Hinh, Chairman of the Union of Patriotic Monks of Bac Lieu province, said: The lives of Khmer people have improved much better than before thanks to the effective implementation of programs, policies, and projects. Special projects of the Government, ministries and branches for Khmer people. I also often advise my people to live a healthy and frugal life so that, together with the authorities at all levels, we can build an increasingly prosperous and beautiful homeland.

“Implementing the National Target Program 1719 for the period 2021-2030, the province invested billions of dong to purchase five-tone musical instruments, build and repair ngo boats, invest in crematoriums and build main halls for pagodas. In addition, many pagodas and Salatels (places for Khmer people to have community cultural activities) in areas with a large number of Khmer ethnic people are supported in their activities and promote the traditional art forms of the nation." , said Venerable Huu Hinh.

Coming to Cai Gia hamlet (Hung Hoi commune, Vinh Loi district, Bac Lieu province) during these days, you will easily see houses preparing to welcome Tet. With the meaning of starting a new year, everyone is excited to renovate and redecorate their homes. Although life is increasingly modern, many families still preserve traditional customs such as making gingerbread, cooking noodle soup... during Tet.

Ms. Thach Thi So Phi expressed: "This year Phum Soc's crops have prospered, life has gradually improved, so everyone is excited to prepare to enjoy a very warm and prosperous Tet. Even though I do business far away, my children still return home to celebrate New Year's Eve and spend happy holidays together."

Mr. Ngo Vu Thang, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Bac Lieu province said: "In recent times, many specific guidelines and policies for ethnic minorities of the Party and State have always been approved by the Party committees and authorities of Bac Lieu province. Lieu pays attention to directing timely, strict and effective implementation. Notably, in the National Target Program 1719, in 2023 alone, from the centrally allocated capital and local counterpart budgets, Bac Lieu has disbursed nearly 42 billion VND to invest in infrastructure construction and support. Support for production, housing, clean water, career change... helps thousands of Khmer households develop production and improve the material and spiritual lives of the people.

Along with taking care of material life, preserving and promoting the traditional cultural identity of the Khmer ethnic people receives special attention from party committees and authorities in Bac Lieu province."

Many Khmer people live in many villages, young men and women are engrossed in practicing traditional dances to prepare to show off their talents and beauty in the upcoming Tet days. (Photo: Phuong Nghi)

The change and prosperity in Phum Soc are evident through the celebration of Tet by Khmer people in the provinces of the Mekong Delta. The gentle sunshine mixed with unseasonal rain in the middle of April days has eased the heat, creating a cool atmosphere for people to celebrate Chol Chnam Thmay Tet more happily. So, Phum Soc throughout the Mekong Delta provinces are about to welcome a warm, colorful traditional Tet. After 3 days of Tet, we hope that people will have a new crop with many advantages and continue to preserve and promote Khmer cultural identity in the new period.