In the final days of 2024, Ta Han – a remote mountain village – still bore the marks of hardship and deprivation. After Typhoon Yagi , the dirt roads were slippery, and the makeshift roofs still showed signs of being blown off. However, amidst the difficulties, a pivotal change emerged: the people no longer relied on government assistance but proactively strived to escape poverty through their own labor.
Mr. Vu A Ngai, a Mong ethnic minority born in 1998, is currently the Head of Ta Han village. Having worked abroad from April 2023 to September 2024, Mr. Ngai returned to his hometown with a desire to change his life. Trusted by the villagers and elected as Head of the village, he boldly invested all his savings in developing livestock farming and crop cultivation. Currently, his family regularly raises more than 10 pigs for meat, selling two batches per year, and cultivates over 1,000 square meters of rice and corn for feed and livestock shelter. His annual income reaches tens of millions of dong, providing a stable life and savings.
Sharing the same vision as Mr. Ngai is the Party Secretary of Ta Han village, Giang A Tru. His family has six members, cultivating about 2,500 square meters of rice paddies and 5,000 square meters of corn and cassava. He invested in building a closed-loop production model, growing crops as feed for his herd of over 15 pigs per litter, combined with utilizing agricultural by-products to reduce costs. As a result, his family's income has gradually increased, providing them with both food security and a stable income, leading to a significant improvement in their living standards. Like Mr. Ngai, Mr. Tru voluntarily wrote a letter requesting to be removed from the poverty list – a seemingly simple act, but one that has had a considerable impact on the thinking of the villagers. "If I, as an official, can't escape poverty, what will the villagers think?" Mr. Tru shared.
Ta Han village currently has 109 households with 572 inhabitants, of which over 95% are poor. Poverty and hardship have persistently plagued the community, causing many households to feel inferior and rely on government assistance. Therefore, the pioneering actions of the two village officials are seen as a breath of fresh air, igniting a spirit of self-reliance and self-improvement within the community. Chairman of the Nam Cuong Commune People's Committee, Tran Duc Trung Thien, highly praised the village officials' initiative in requesting to be removed from the poverty list, considering it a welcome sign, demonstrating a pioneering spirit and setting an example to spread the will to improve the village and other residential areas of the commune.
Ta Han has been undergoing many positive changes. Following the pioneering example of its village leaders, the villagers have stopped clearing forests for slash-and-burn agriculture, no longer relying on government subsidies. Instead, they have boldly applied for production loans, learned livestock and crop farming techniques, developed production, and risen out of poverty. Many young people in the village have proactively sought jobs far from home, even registering for overseas employment in Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan to supplement their income. The corn, cassava, and rice fields that previously only provided enough food have now become marketable commodities; livestock shelters have been built more solidly, and many ethnic minority households now have foresight, business acumen, and the ability to improve their lives through their own efforts.
What is most valuable is the change in mindset among ethnic minorities in the highlands, especially the Hmong people. The people of Ta Han are gradually understanding that escaping poverty is not just about no longer lacking food and clothing, but about being proactive, thinking proactively, and daring to change. They no longer rely on support but know how to find opportunities for themselves. Since the two pioneering village officials applied to be removed from the poverty list, the villagers have seen the results, their confidence has been strengthened, and their motivation has increased. "Seeing the village head and the Party branch secretary succeed, we also want to follow suit, we don't want to remain on the list of poor households anymore," a resident of Ta Han village shared.
The road ahead remains challenging as Ta Han's infrastructure is incomplete, transportation remains difficult, and the consumption of agricultural products still depends on traders. However, the local government has determined that leveraging the internal resources of the people is a crucial solution for sustainable poverty reduction. Nam Cuong commune is actively coordinating with specialized agencies to organize technical training courses, provide preferential loans, and guide people in building suitable economic models. Along with this, priority is given to investing in upgrading transportation and irrigation infrastructure, creating favorable conditions for production development.
Ta Han today, though still poor, is different from before. The people have learned to set clear goals and plan their businesses. From being hesitant and timid, they are now confidently writing applications to escape poverty – something few would have considered before. This action demonstrates a shift in mindset, from being helped to helping themselves, from beneficiaries to masters in the poverty reduction effort.
As Mr. Vu A Ngai expressed: "Although my family still faces many difficulties, I feel I need to contribute to the development of my village and commune, making them increasingly prosperous and beautiful. Therefore, my family and I are voluntarily requesting to be removed from the poverty list."
Source: https://daibieunhandan.vn/ta-han-khi-nguoi-dan-chu-dong-viet-don-xin-thoat-ngheo-10394146.html
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