Shining tradition of "Repaying gratitude"

Handover ceremony of gratitude houses to policy families in Can Tho city. Photo: Ngoc Quyen

Improve the quality of life of policy families and meritorious people

In the house of gratitude, Vietnamese Heroic Mother Thai Thi Phu in Phuong Quoi A hamlet, Phuong Binh commune, happily chatted with her youngest son. For her, the sadness of her husband and son who remained on the battlefield has somewhat subsided, as the Party and State always care for and look after her, and around her there are so many children who call her Mother.

Mother's husband - Mr. Pham Van Loc sacrificed in 1968. Less than 4 years later, Mother's son forever remained on the battlefield at the age of 18. Her heart was broken but with a strong will, Mother tried to raise her children and grandchildren to be good people. Mother Phu confided: "My family enjoys full policies of the Party and State. Local officials often visit my house to visit and encourage me to live happily and healthily."

Receiving an invitation to attend the meeting to celebrate the 78th anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs Day, Mr. Pham Van Dung - a war invalid in Dinh Hoa A hamlet, Truong Thanh commune, excitedly prepared neat clothes to attend this event.

Mr. Dung shared that in 1987, he joined the military and was injured on the Cambodian battlefield. In 1989, he returned to his hometown to live. Mr. Dung received health insurance and a monthly allowance. In 2001, Mr. Dung was given a house of gratitude, which was upgraded in 2012. Mr. Dung said: “My three sons have their own families, stable jobs, regularly send me money for monthly expenses and remind me to take care of my health. I receive gifts from the local authorities on holidays and Tet, and create conditions for sightseeing and travel...”.

In the house of gratitude in Dinh Yen hamlet, Truong Thanh commune, which has just been repaired with the city's support, the grandchildren gather around Mrs. Vo Thi Cuc. Mr. Xia and Mrs. Cuc's family are martyrs' worshipers. Over the years, the local government has always paid attention to their lives; invited the grandparents to meetings and received gifts on holidays and Tet. Mrs. Cuc confided: "My health is not stable, so I have to take care of housework and take care of the grandchildren. This house has been damaged for a long time, now thanks to the State's support for repairs so that the children can work and study with peace of mind. My whole family thanks and reminds each other to live lovingly, in harmony with the village spirit, and to comply with local regulations."

Full of gratitude

These days, Truong Thanh commune focuses on implementing activities to celebrate War Invalids and Martyrs Day, such as: traditional meetings, visiting the Martyrs' Temple in the area, distributing gifts... The whole Truong Thanh commune currently has 472 policy families and meritorious people, of which 109 subjects receive regular subsidies; all subjects are eligible for health insurance cards. From the beginning of 2025 to now, the commune has received financial support to repair 12 gratitude houses; all policy families and meritorious people in the area have basically stable housing.

During the resistance war, Phuong Binh was chosen as the base of the Can Tho Provincial Party Committee (Ba Bai base), where many fierce battles took place between our army and the enemy. Today, Ba Bai base has become a historical relic. Phuong Binh commune has recently been merged from Phuong Binh commune and Phuong Phu commune. Both localities have rich revolutionary traditions. The whole commune has 171 policy families and people with revolutionary contributions who receive regular subsidies.

Mr. Le Nhu Le, Chairman of Phuong Binh Commune People's Committee, informed: "The Party Committee and the commune government always fully and promptly implement the regimes and policies for families of policy beneficiaries and people with meritorious services to the revolution; the movement "All people take care of families of war invalids, martyrs and people with meritorious services to the revolution" has been promoted, becoming a beautiful feature in the cultural and spiritual life of the people. On the occasion of this year's War Invalids and Martyrs Day, Phuong Binh commune presented gifts to 597 families of policy beneficiaries, people with meritorious services to the revolution, and relatives of martyrs, with a total cost of nearly 700 million VND. At the same time, the locality coordinated to present 100 gifts to families of policy beneficiaries and people with meritorious services; organized incense offering at the heroic martyrs' stele of the commune.

Thanh Thoi An commune has 305 families of war invalids, relatives of martyrs and people with meritorious services. Mr. Cao Minh Tan, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the People's Committee of Thanh Thoi An commune, said: "The local Party Committee and government always pay attention and fully and promptly implement preferential policies according to regulations for people with meritorious services. In 2024 and the first months of 2025, the locality has allocated nearly 337 million VND to 107 cases of war invalids, relatives of martyrs and people with meritorious services to the revolution who are receiving monthly preferential allowances; allocated more than 277 million VND to 198 households worshiping martyrs".

In particular, from 2024 to mid-2025, implementing the Program to eliminate temporary and dilapidated houses, Thanh Thoi An has completed the construction of 40 new houses and repaired 27 houses for policy households, with a total cost of more than 3.2 billion VND. The commune has also received and processed 20 policy records for policy families and meritorious people in the area.

Mr. Huynh Thanh Van, a 3/4-class disabled veteran, residing in Thanh Nhan hamlet, shared: “I always receive deep attention from leaders at all levels. Working groups often visit my house, give gifts, and encourage me and my family. When life is difficult, I also receive timely support from the local government. Recently, my level 4 house was degraded, I was supported with 30 million VND for repairs.”

According to Mr. Cao Minh Tan, Thanh Thoi An commune will continue to implement well the policies and preferential regimes of the Party and State for people with meritorious services to the revolution. At the same time, well implement the socialization movement to care for people with meritorious services and their relatives living alone. Organize inspection, embellishment, decoration, and cleaning of martyrs' memorial houses in the commune...

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On the occasion of this year's War Invalids and Martyrs Day, it is expected that the whole city will have 31,941 policy families and people with meritorious services to the revolution to receive gifts, with a total cost of over 17 billion VND. Departments, branches and local authorities focus on disseminating the implementation of preferential policies for people with meritorious services; highlighting typical examples of agencies, units, localities and individuals who have done well in the work of War Invalids and Martyrs and the "Repaying gratitude" movement, examples of people with meritorious services doing well in the economy; popularizing new policies; answering questions about policies and regimes in the field of people with meritorious services to the revolution; focusing on organizing and mobilizing to build the "Repaying gratitude" Fund. At the same time, the President and the city distributed gifts to people with meritorious services, relatives of martyrs receiving monthly allowances, organized delegations to visit and present gifts to pre-uprising cadres, Vietnamese Heroic Mothers, Heroes of the People's Armed Forces, war invalids, sick soldiers, resistance fighters infected with toxic chemicals; organized a delegation of people with meritorious services to the revolution in the city to attend a meeting with people with meritorious services and historical witnesses held in Hanoi. In addition, simultaneously organized "Lighting candles in gratitude" at works honoring martyrs, visiting martyrs' cemeteries and conferring - posthumously conferring the honorary title of "Vietnamese Heroic Mother" of the State...

ANH PHUONG - CAM LINH - QUOC KHA

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/sang-ngoi-truyen-thong-den-on-dap-nghia--a188901.html