Lighting up trust from new homes

For many years, Ms. Tran Thi Thanh My (40 years old, residing in Hamlet 9, Hoa Phu Commune) and her husband have lived in an old wooden house left to them by her mother before she passed away. Over time, the corrugated iron roof has rusted, the wooden walls have come loose and broken due to termites, and every time there is heavy rain, water splashes in everywhere. On windy nights, she has to stay awake all night to watch over the house, fearing it might collapse at any moment.

Ms. Tran Thi Thanh My and her husband (village 9, Hoa Phu commune) are happy to have a spacious new house.

Ms. My's family is classified as near-poor. She sells vegetables at the market, and her husband is unemployed, doing odd jobs for whoever hires him, resulting in an unstable income, while their four children are of school age. Life is difficult, and Ms. My and her husband have never dared to dream of building a new house.

Fortunately, in 2024, her family received 50 million VND in support from the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Buon Ma Thuot City (formerly) to build a house. She and her husband boldly borrowed more money from the bank and sought help from relatives to build their new home.

"Before, every time I saw my children sitting in the damp corner of the house studying with their books, I could only sigh. Now that they have a house, I can feel more at ease with my business. What I'm happiest about is that my children have a decent place to live so they can focus on their studies," Ms. My expressed.

Her husband left when their three children were still very young, leaving Mrs. Pham Thi Hoa (52 years old, residing in Hamlet 8, Ea Kar Commune) to shoulder the burden alone for decades. The entire family lives in a dilapidated wooden house with crumbling walls. Their livelihood mainly depends on two plots of land for growing crops and odd jobs. “My house used to be very leaky; when it rained, water would pour from the roof onto the floor, and we had to use pots and basins to catch it. Sometimes, while we were eating, water would splash all over our dinner table,” Mrs. Hoa confided. The dream of a sturdy home seemed to have ended for this woman.

However, in 2024, thanks to the support of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Ea Kar district (formerly) with 40 million VND and the Red Cross Society of Ea Kar district (formerly) with 30 million VND, along with the help of neighbors, a sturdy new house was built. Ms. Hoa shared: “I am very happy to receive support from the local authorities and organizations to build a house. The house is not only a place to shelter from the rain and sun but also a motivation for my children and me to work hard. I have also submitted an application to be removed from the poverty list so that the support can be given to those who are more in need.”

Local government representatives and support units visit the new home of Mr. Y Von Niê's family (M'Ar hamlet, Ea Kar commune). Photo: Nguyen Son

The joy of having a home was clearly visible in the eyes of Mr. Y Von Niê (38 years old, from M'Ar hamlet, Ea Kar commune) and his wife on the day they stepped into their spacious new house, which was handed over just in time for the April 30th - May 1st holiday. Before that, his entire family lived in a small shack with a corrugated iron roof and temporary walls. With irregular work and a son with a congenital disability, life was already difficult, so the dream of a sturdy house was just a distant one for him. Thanks to the support of 80 million VND from the Dak Lak Provincial Police (formerly) and the local government, the couple was able to build a real home for their son. Looking around the new house, still smelling of fresh paint, Mr. Y Von couldn't hide his emotion: "I always thought I would never have a decent house in my life, but now I'm living in a new house right on this important national holiday. For my wife and me, this is truly a priceless gift."

Each family, each circumstance, presents a unique and challenging journey, but the greatest commonality is the support they receive from the community. It is this collective effort that has transformed their lives. No longer anxious during rainy nights or worried about cracked walls and leaky roofs, these impoverished households can now confidently focus on their work, raise their children, and have faith in a brighter future.

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