Escaping poverty through perseverance.

Ms. Ha Thi Nat takes care of the forest.

In her newly built, spacious house, where the scent of fresh paint still lingers, Mrs. Ha Thi Nat from Na An village emotionally shared: "Having this warm home is thanks to the forest. Without the forest, my family's life could hardly have changed as it has today. I was born into a farming family in Na An village, Dong Dang commune. In 1991, when I got married, my husband and I only had a few acres of rice fields inherited from our grandparents to make a living. Without a stable income and having to raise six children, my family's life was constantly in poverty. There were times when working all year round wasn't enough to eat, so my husband and I had to take on any odd jobs we could find. For many years, my husband and I went to China to clear forests for hire. We realized that our family also had a large area of hilly forest land that was being wasted, so I discussed with my husband about reclaiming the land to plant trees."

Acting on their idea, in 2017, Mrs. Nat and her husband began reclaiming their family's hillside land to plant eucalyptus trees. Due to limited financial resources, they could only clear the land in sections, planting as they went. Thanks to their diligence and hard work, in 2017, their family planted more than 1,000 eucalyptus trees.

Not stopping there, Mrs. Nat's family continued to persevere with the goal of "not letting the hillside land go to waste." Every year, the couple actively cleared and improved each plot of land to expand the area for reforestation. Notably, they did all the work themselves, without hiring outside help, in order to save costs. Thanks to their persistent efforts, today the entire hillside area of Mrs. Nat's family is covered with straight rows of eucalyptus trees.

During the reforestation process, to gain knowledge and experience to apply to production, Mrs. Nat proactively participated in annual training courses on the transfer of scientific and technical knowledge in cultivation (including reforestation) organized by the commune. Thanks to this, her family's forest area developed well. At the end of 2023, her family harvested over 1,000 eucalyptus trees (planted in 2017), bringing in an income of 200 million VND. Recently, in 2025, her family continued to harvest 5,000 eucalyptus trees, bringing in an income of over 500 million VND. Currently, her family continues to focus on caring for the eucalyptus tree sprouts after harvesting.

Thanks to her hard work and perseverance, Mrs. Nat's family now has a sustainable income from the forest. As a result, in 2024, her family rose out of poverty, built a spacious house, purchased modern household appliances, and had the means to provide their children with a good education.

Ms. Loc Thuy Huong, Vice Chairwoman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee and Chairwoman of the Women's Union of Dong Dang Commune, assessed: Ms. Ha Thi Nat is one of the exemplary female members who dares to think and act, not afraid of difficulties and hardships, striving to develop the commune's economy. Her story is a clear example of the spirit of "self-reliance and self-improvement," worthy of emulation by many. Not only has she developed her family's economy, but she also regularly helps and shares her experience in forest planting with members and people in the commune to develop the hill and forest economy. Furthermore, her family actively supports and participates in campaigns and emulation movements launched by various levels and sectors; and enthusiastically participates in movements at the village and commune levels.

Driven by a strong will to overcome difficulties, Ms. Ha Thi Nat not only helped her family escape poverty but also spread the spirit of legitimate wealth creation in her homeland. Thanks to her hard work and dedication, in early 2025, Ms. Nat was honored with a certificate of commendation from the Chairman of the People's Committee of Cao Loc District (formerly) for her outstanding achievements in the emulation movement "For the poor - Leaving no one behind" during the 2021-2025 period.

Source: https://baolangson.vn/thoat-ngheo-nho-nghi-luc-5067555.html