FROM ANCIENT STORIES IN THE UNIVERSITY VILLAGE…
The university village was still quite sparsely populated at that time, with vast mangrove forests. Electricity was still limited. In particular, the road leading to our student dormitory passed through a undulating hillside with mangrove forests, and there were no streetlights at night.
It was precisely because of the lack of electric lighting that many stories circulated among students about robberies and female students being sexually assaulted when walking alone late at night on the road leading to the dormitory. These "half-truth, half-fiction" stories made us male students worried and we rarely went out at night.
Viewed from above, Ho Chi Minh City at night sparkles with lights.
PHOTO: NHAT THINH
I remember once the alumni association held a reunion at the Law University headquarters in Binh Trieu. My roommates and I took the bus up to the city to attend. After the reunion, the bus took us back to the university village past 11 pm. The road back to our dorm was pitch black, so we all ran as fast as we could, trembling and praying for safety...
I often recount stories from my student days in the university village to show that back then in Ho Chi Minh City, especially in the wards and communes far from the city center like where I lived, there was still a lack of electricity, probably due to economic difficulties. It also shows that after several decades, we can now see the development and efforts of the city's electricity sector to bring electricity to these remote wards and communes.
The university village is no longer lacking electricity like it was in the 1990s. Electricity has spread everywhere. The university village is now much more modern and beautiful. In particular, the once "place of fear" has transformed into a miniature town at night, with food courts, markets, restaurants, and cafes... sparkling with color under the electric lights. The entrances to student dormitories are always lit and much safer. This can be said to be the result of the continuous efforts and development of the Ho Chi Minh City electricity sector .
…LEADING TO CHANGE IN EVERY HOME
The widespread availability of electricity has also led to improved economic conditions for many households, even making them wealthier than they were before electricity, as in the case of a cousin I know.
Her entire family moved to a commune in Vung Tau City (formerly Vung Tau City), Ho Chi Minh City, to start a new life. At that time, she and her children made rice noodles by hand, a labor-intensive process with little profit. After electricity was brought to their commune, her family switched to making rice noodles using machinery. This shift to machinery helped increase production and revenue. The business flourished, and their lives became much more prosperous compared to the days of manual production.
It can be said that the city's electricity sector has continuously developed, striving every day to fulfill its mission, from the most difficult and challenging times to the present day. Bringing electricity to even the most remote villages has transformed the city's appearance and changed the lives of countless families, fulfilling the aspirations and dreams of those who came from afar to study and build their lives in the city.
Looking at the electric lights illuminating the buildings at night, especially on major holidays, the city is as beautiful as a colorful painting. On one occasion, flying to Ho Chi Minh City at night, I looked out the small window and saw the city shrinking before my eyes with millions of shimmering colored lights. Each time, I exclaimed with emotion, "How beautiful my city is!"
Over the past 50 years, the electricity sector in Ho Chi Minh City has made immense contributions to the economic, cultural, and social development, transforming the lives of countless families and individuals. Electricity has made this city of compassion and kindness even more beautiful and radiant.
I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation for the immense contributions of the electricity sector to the lives of the people and the development of the city. I believe that, in addition to exceptional efforts for customers, the sector's pioneering spirit and silent sacrifices have led to the proud achievements we see today.
220 million VND is waiting for its owner.
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Ho Chi Minh City Electricity Management and Distribution Department (August 7, 1976 - August 7, 2026), now the Ho Chi Minh City Power Corporation (EVNHCMC), Thanh Nien Newspaper and EVNHCMC are launching a writing and photography contest titled "Proud of 50 Years of the City's Electricity Industry ," with a total prize value of 220 million VND.
Readers of Thanh Nien Newspaper , citizens, officials, employees, students, workers, etc., can all participate in the competition, regardless of age or profession.
Entries should be sent to the following email address: Send your entry to 50namnganhdienthanhpho@thanhnien.vn or by mail to the Thanh Nien Newspaper Editorial Office : 268-270 Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street, Xuan Hoa Ward, Ho Chi Minh City (please specify: Entry for the " Proud of 50 Years of the Electricity Industry in Ho Chi Minh City" contest ).
Submission deadline: March 11 - June 30, 2026.
See the detailed contest rules at thanhnien.vn
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/sao-thanh-pho-minh-dep-qua-185260513155622003.htm
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