Escaping poverty through perseverance and community support.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Ut Em (residing in Nhut Long hamlet, Vam Co commune) takes care of her elderly mother every day.

The family of Ms. Nguyen Thi Ut Em (residing in Nhut Long hamlet, Vam Co commune, Tay Ninh province) was once a poor household in the locality. She and her husband had to raise two young children and an older daughter who was a university student, while also caring for her elderly mother who was seriously ill.

Previously, she also took care of her father and two other siblings, who have since passed away. Life has never been easy for her. Although her husband has a stable job, with so many expenses, it's not enough.

Over a year ago, her family received a breeding cow. Every day, after taking care of her children and mother, she makes time to cut grass for the cow. The breeding cow is not only an asset but also a source of hope. Besides the support policies, family affection is also a great source of motivation. Her five sisters always share the burden. The house her family currently lives in was built with money pooled together and borrowed from her sisters.

Thanks to her willpower and determination, Ms. Ut Em's family's life has gradually become more stable, rising from a poor household to a near-poor one. Ms. Ut Em always maintains her belief: "When my mother is healthier, I will go to work to help my husband. My family must try harder to escape poverty."

Besides cases of hard work like Ms. Ut Em, the province also has many cases where poverty stems from persistent illness. For example, the family of Mr. Nguyen Van Tu (residing in Phuoc Tinh hamlet, My Yen commune), whose wife suffers from severe heart disease and has undergone multiple surgeries. The 2008 surgery cost 80 million VND, forcing him to sell his only 0.1-hectare rice field. In 2020, his wife underwent a second surgery costing 120 million VND. His son has congenital Down syndrome and requires constant care.

Therefore, the local authorities classified him as a poor household to receive support policies. However, Mr. Tư never gave up. “I may be poor, but I don’t want to just sit around. I have to work to make a living; I can’t rely on others forever,” Mr. Tư said. He took on various jobs, from working as a laborer and construction worker to raising fish for hire… anything to earn extra income.

Livestock farming has its ups and downs; the African swine fever outbreak caused him heavy losses, but he didn't give up. Thanks to local support, Mr. Tư's family gradually stabilized. In 2023, the Women's Union and the Military Command of Bến Lức district (formerly) provided him with a breeding cow. In addition, he borrowed preferential loans from the Social Policy Bank to expand his business.

Thanks to local support combined with self-reliance, his family has escaped poverty for the past two years. Although Mr. Tư's current life is not yet truly affluent, he always cherishes what he has achieved through his efforts, and continues to work diligently to improve his income and maintain his success in escaping poverty.

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