The Da River in spring

Spring is returning to the lands along the Da River, winding through rocky slopes, spreading down into valleys, and awakening the pink blossoms of peach trees after months of...

From the upper reaches of the Da River, spring touches Thu Lum, where the footsteps of the Ha Nhi people have been etched onto every mountain slope for generations. In recent years, the face of this border region has changed significantly with the paving of internal village roads and roads to production areas; the construction of new cultural centers in most villages; and access to the national power grid and clean water for every household. Mobile phone coverage extends to 8 base stations, facilitating communication and trade. The people are more enthusiastic as the rate of access to clean water has reached over 98%, and most households are proactively protecting the environment, developing production, and preserving the forest. These changes help Thu Lum enter the new spring with confidence and stability.

People in Thu Lũm commune are increasing their income from the regimental chili pepper farming model.

Comrade Le Thanh Tam - Chairman of the People's Committee of Thu Lum commune shared: "The achievements of the commune today come from the support of higher authorities and the solidarity of the people. Infrastructure has been invested in comprehensively, traditional cultural life has been preserved, and border security has been maintained. We will continue to improve the quality of the criteria, creating a foundation for Thu Lum's sustainable development in the coming period."

Descending the rocky slopes, we arrive at Muong Mo commune, where mountain clouds blanket the villages every morning. In the past, Muong Mo faced many difficulties: fragmented terrain, natural disasters, epidemics, and a high poverty rate. But despite the hardships, the people persevered, expanding cultivated land, developing livestock farming, protecting forests, and preserving their cultural identity. During the past term, the commune cared for and protected tens of thousands of hectares of forest, achieving a forest cover rate of over 40%, while also implementing economic models such as cultivating cardamom, beekeeping, and cage fish farming on the lake. New roads have been opened, schools have been renovated, and school buildings have been rebuilt… all of this gives the land a bright new look as spring arrives.

Comrade Ngo Hong Kien, Chairman of the People's Committee of Muong Mo commune, said: "Officials and people are working hard every day. We focus on providing technical guidance, expanding livestock farming models, cultivating specialty crops, and strengthening forest protection. Muong Mo aims to effectively exploit local potential to increase income and stabilize the lives of the people, so that every Tet holiday, the people can celebrate in warmth and happiness."

A section of the Da River flows through the territory of Muong Mo commune.

Continuing along the Da River to Nam Hang – a newly established commune formed by rearranging the administrative boundaries of Nam Hang, Nam Manh communes and Nam Nhun town. Despite facing many difficulties, the locality has achieved positive results: food production reached nearly 6,000 tons; 120 hectares of concentrated rice cultivation provided stable income; 108 hectares of fruit trees such as mangoes and pineapples were expanded; aquaculture in the reservoir maintained 90 cages, producing 30 tons annually. The percentage of households using electricity reached 98%; nearly 100% of the population had access to clean water; and over 94% of roads to the villages were paved. These figures affirm the efforts of the government and people in stabilizing life after the merger, creating a foundation for Nam Hang to rise out of its status as a particularly disadvantaged commune.

The people of Nam Hang commune now enjoy a more comfortable and prosperous life as rubber plantation workers.

Comrade Lo Thi Kieu Vinh - Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Nam Hang commune shared: “For us, the important thing is to create stable livelihoods for the people through effective models and projects. Taking advantage of the local area's strengths, we are developing rice cultivation, expanding fruit tree cultivation, maintaining livestock and aquaculture, and investing in essential infrastructure. Nam Hang will leverage the advantages of the reservoir to increase income and ensure a better life for the people in the coming years.”

Traveling to Le Loi commune, the essence of spring is not only evident in the blossoming peach and plum trees along the mountain slopes, but also clearly felt in the increasingly vibrant appearance of the rural landscape. After officially commencing operations on July 1st, 2025, Le Loi commune has gradually stabilized its organizational structure, focusing on effectively implementing national target programs, creating a solid foundation for socio-economic development and improving the lives of its people. In 2025, the total capital for implementing the three national target programs in the commune reached 31.4 billion VND. From this resource, many essential infrastructure projects have been invested in, completed, and put into use, contributing to changing the face of the villages. Specifically, the New Rural Development Program has focused on investing in village cultural centers, repairing and upgrading irrigation systems and domestic water supply facilities, with projects in Nam Cay, Chieng Chan, and Hong Ngai villages basically completed, directly serving the living and production needs of the people.

Furthermore, thanks to funding from the socio-economic development program for ethnic minority and mountainous areas, many internal village roads and access roads to production areas have been paved, making travel and transportation of agricultural products easier and creating motivation for people to confidently develop production. Amidst the peaceful spring scenery, these changes are clearly evident in every house and every community project. Spring in Le Loi is therefore not only a season of harmony between nature, but also a season of faith and concrete results from the unity of the government and the people, laying the foundation for the commune to continue to progress in the coming years.

The festival at the Temple of King Le Thai To, held at the beginning of spring, attracts many tourists.

Comrade Vu Van Hieu - Chairman of the People's Committee of Le Loi commune shared: This year's spring has come to the locality with a clearer sense of joy and reassurance for the people. After a year of focusing on implementing development programs, many essential infrastructure projects have been completed, and the lives and production of the people are gradually stabilizing.

Along the spring journey along the Da River, it's easy to see a common thread among the communes: change doesn't come from sudden leaps, but from quiet yet steady progress. From paving roads to villages, completing cultural centers; increasing the percentage of people with access to electricity and clean water; from forming new production models to preserving traditional festivals… all contribute to the new rural landscape on both banks of the river. If Thu Lum brings the distinctive spring colors of the Ha Nhi people with their traditional festivals; Mu Ca radiates the spirit of persistent labor in the vast forest; Nam Hang demonstrates strong growth after mergers; then Le Loi affirms the new vitality from the new rural development program and the preservation of traditional ethnic cultures. Each locality has its own strengths and its own path, but all share the common goal of building a prosperous, peaceful, and civilized region along the Da River.

In spring, the Da River carries not only water but also aspirations. Aspirations to build the homeland, to defend the border; aspirations for every village, every home to welcome a warm and prosperous spring. In the chilly weather of early spring, the river continues to tirelessly build up its banks, just as the people here persistently cultivate their future. The new spring brings with it the hope for successful harvests, the completion of roads, the expansion of economic models, and the flourishing of villages. Along both banks of the Da River, from the peak of Thu Lum mountain to the valleys of Le Loi, the breath of spring permeates every house, every smile, every glance, creating a picture of spring full of hope for the Northwest region of our country.

Source: https://baolaichau.vn/xa-hoi/song-da-vao-xuan-540160