The dynamism in Khuon Lan

Located about 10 km from the center of Tri Phu commune, Khuon Lan village was once an isolated area deep in the mountains, where transportation infrastructure and the lives of the Mong people faced countless difficulties. However, today, the national power grid and new concrete roads are opening a new chapter for this rural area. Thanks to government investment and self-reliance, the people of Khuon Lan are gradually breaking through, abandoning old ways of thinking to rise out of poverty sustainably.

Change your mindset.

In 1988, the first households from Tra Linh district (formerly Cao Bang province) and Meo Vac district (formerly Ha Giang province) migrated to Tri Phu commune to clear land and establish a village. By 1995, there were 30 households living there, divided into two areas: Khuon Lan and Khuoi Ngang. To concentrate resources for socio -economic development, at the end of that year, the households proactively relocated and merged to form the unified Khuon Lan village as it is today. The village has 85 households, 440 inhabitants, 100% of whom are Mong ethnic people. Poor households account for 89%. The people are closely tied to rice and corn cultivation year-round. The fertile land ensures they don't suffer from hunger, but achieving significant progress and advancement was once a distant dream.

The people of Khuon Lan village received water tanks as assistance.

Village head Ly Van Sai, jokingly called the "multi-skilled village head" by the locals, said: Thanks to the attention of the Party, the State, and all levels of government, the people of Khuon Lan are gradually changing their mindset, abandoning outdated customs, and focusing on economic development to improve their lives. The village currently has more than 30 households raising large livestock, with over 80 buffaloes and cows; and 15 hectares of fruit trees, mainly oranges and pomelos. The village has also developed an additional 6 hectares of green-hearted black beans to supply raw materials to the Hong Phat organic agricultural cooperative. Mr. Sai himself has implemented a semi-wild black pig farming model with over 50 pigs and cultivated 6,000 square meters of green-hearted black beans. He also borrowed capital to buy an excavator and opened a general store to serve the needs of the villagers.

In Khuon Lan, Phung Van Dinh, the Youth Union Secretary, despite his young age, has become a role model for overcoming poverty, admired by many. Realizing that following the beaten path would not lead to a breakthrough, Dinh started his own business by planting 150 V2 orange trees and nearly 5,000 square meters of ginger for root production. Each year, this model brings him nearly 60 million VND, not a huge amount, but enough for him to renovate his house and invest in more agricultural tools. Inspired by Dinh's example, many Youth Union members in the village have gradually changed their mindset and boldly started their own businesses in their homeland.

The transportation infrastructure in Khuon Lan village has been invested in, making it easier for residents to travel.

Shining brightly amidst the vast forest

In mid-2023, the Department of Industry and Trade implemented a project to bring the national power grid to Khuon Lan. By the end of the year, the entire village had electricity. The stream running through the village was no longer cluttered with old generators and makeshift power lines. Every evening, as the sun sets, every house is illuminated by the grid's light. Many families have purchased modern appliances for their daily lives. Along with the electricity, transportation infrastructure has also seen a breakthrough. Funded by the National Target Program for socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas, an 8-kilometer-long concrete road into Khuon Lan has been paved. Since the new road was built, many traders have proactively come to the village to purchase agricultural products, something that rarely happened before. Village head Ly Van Sai confided: "To have this synchronized transportation infrastructure, the Mong people in the village proactively donated nearly 3,000 square meters of agricultural land, and many households even accepted relocating part of their houses to make way for the construction unit."

The Khuon Lan village cultural center has been invested in and built in a spacious and modern style, meeting the community needs of the people.

During the period 2023-2025, from the National Target Program for socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas, the village also received investment for the construction of a new cultural center, the installation of a public address system, support for more than 20 clean water tanks, and assistance for households to replace temporary and dilapidated houses. A typical example is the family of Mr. Ly Van Hanh, who received 60 million VND to build a new, spacious house, allowing them to settle down and make a living. Mr. Hanh said: "Before, the whole family had to live in a dilapidated bamboo house, and every time it rained or stormed, we couldn't sleep because we were afraid it would collapse. With the financial support from the State, along with the labor help from neighbors, my family was able to build a sturdy house like this. Now that we have a stable place to live, my wife and I can focus on production, actively planting corn and raising buffaloes to provide for our children's education, determined to overcome poverty and not let down the care of the Party and the State." Village head Ly Van Sai affirmed that, with government investment and a change in people's mindset, many well-off and wealthy households will soon emerge in Khuon Lan. The village aims to reduce the poverty rate by approximately 20% by the end of 2026.

The dramatic transformation of Khuon Lan today is clear evidence of the effectiveness of the Party and State's ethnic policies. From a poor, isolated village, the Mong people here have written a story of overcoming hardship through their own internal strength and a change in economic mindset. Newly opened roads, sturdy houses, and electricity illuminating the vast forest are opening up a prosperous and sustainable future for this rural area.

Text and photos: Ly Thu

Source: https://baotuyenquang.com.vn/kinh-te/202606/suc-bat-o-khuon-lan-e6901f1/