War invalid Le Minh The overcomes hardship and becomes wealthy.

From small, scattered plots of land, over 8,000 square meters once a symbol of poverty in his hometown, this place has now become a vast green space with hundreds of types of seedlings, fruit trees, and ornamental trees, along with an integrated livestock farming model. In the corner of the garden, a small stone table is where he receives guests, drinks a cup of hot tea, and shares the story of his journey from hardship to wealth – a story imbued with the resilience of a soldier who is "disabled but not defeated."

Mr. Le Minh The advises customers on the types of seedlings to plant in their home gardens.

A difficult childhood and the path to military service.

Mr. Le Minh The was born into a poor farming family with four siblings. His parents toiled in the fields year-round, but poverty persisted. From a young age, he had to both attend school and help support his family. "Back then, poverty was just that—poverty." He recalled, a hint of sadness in his eyes.

In 1977, at the age of 22 – the prime of his life – he volunteered to join the army. Those years of fighting to defend the southwestern border were always fierce. In one intense battle, he was seriously wounded and taken to the rear for treatment. By 1980, his health had deteriorated, and he was discharged from the army, returning to civilian life, carrying with him the scars of war.

In the early days after returning to his hometown, his family faced extremely difficult circumstances. The young couple, with nothing but their bare hands, had to do all kinds of jobs to make a living: from small-scale livestock farming and crop cultivation to hired labor… but their income was unstable, and poverty persisted. His old wounds repeatedly flared up when he overworked himself. After being assessed, he was recognized as a disabled veteran of category 3/4.

However, hardship and injury did not deter this veteran. “If you’re poor, you have to find a way out. You can’t just keep suffering like this forever,” he recounted. During long, sleepless nights, he pondered a new business venture, one that suited his health and had long-term growth potential.

Choosing the path to wealth from seedling production.

At that time, the policy of restructuring crop and livestock production offered many opportunities. He noticed a strong increase in demand for seedlings as many farmers switched from inefficient rice cultivation to growing fruit trees or ornamental trees. His family's biggest advantage was living near the Vietnam Academy of Agriculture – a center for new plant varieties and advanced farming techniques.

Seizing the opportunity, he decided to invest all his capital, and also borrowed more from relatives and friends, to rent land from households that no longer needed it for cultivation. After land consolidation, he boldly applied to change the land use purpose from rice cultivation to land for growing seedlings combined with livestock farming.

It was an extremely difficult period. He and his wife and children tirelessly leveled and reclaimed small, low-lying rice fields into a large-scale garden. It was during this time that the resilience of the war veteran was once again tested. "There were days when the pain was so intense I couldn't stand up, but thinking about my children's future, I had to keep going," he shared.

Building the brand "Minh The Garden House"

After years of persistent effort, the garden began to bear fruit. He focused on high-quality seedlings and diversified his product range to over 100 types of trees: fruit trees, shade trees, construction trees, ornamental trees, etc. Thanks to prioritizing trustworthiness, his garden quickly became well-known. Customers from neighboring provinces also came to buy through word-of-mouth recommendations. The "Minh The Garden" brand gradually became a trusted address both within and outside Gia Lam district.

To meet the growing demand, in addition to his three family members, he also provides regular employment for six local workers with salaries of 10-12 million VND per month. During peak season, he hires additional seasonal workers, contributing to job creation for people in the surrounding area.

His annual income after deducting expenses ranges from 500 to 700 million VND – a very significant amount for a farming household in the area. Thanks to this stable income, he was able to build a spacious house of nearly 200m², worth almost 2 billion VND, significantly improving his family's quality of life.

In addition to striving to enrich his family, Mr. The always believed in his responsibility to the community.

Every year, his family donates to support the development of their hometown and actively participates in local campaigns. In particular, he donated over 480 million VND to renovate and restore the village's historical relics; during the 2020 floods in Central Vietnam, he donated 1 ton of rice and many other necessities; when the Covid-19 pandemic broke out in 2021, he contributed 2 million VND to support disease prevention and control; and he contributes 500,000 to 1 million VND annually to the "Comradeship Fund"...

His generosity and spirit of sharing not only spread throughout the village and commune but also became a shining example in the movement of veterans excelling in economic activities .

Through his tireless efforts, war invalid Le Minh The has been recognized by various levels of government with many meaningful awards. For many years, his family has been awarded the title of Exemplary Cultural Family by the former Chairman of the Gia Lam District People's Committee. In 2023, he was honored as a household excelling in economic activities for the period 2018–2023. In 2022, he received a Certificate of Commendation from the Chairman of the Hanoi City People's Committee for his contributions to the new rural development movement. He has also been consistently recognized by the former Da Ton Commune People's Committee for his "Golden Heart" in Red Cross work. In 2023, on the occasion of the War Invalids and Martyrs Day, he was invited by the Hanoi City Veterans Association to attend a meeting of exemplary war invalids excelling in economic activities.

These awards not only recognize his personal efforts but also affirm his practical contributions to the socio-economic development of the locality.

The story of overcoming hardship by Mr. Le Minh The is not only a journey of a soldier escaping poverty but also a clear testament to the qualities of "Uncle Ho's soldiers" in peacetime: resilience, refusal to surrender to fate, and unwavering determination in the face of difficulties.

From a disabled veteran with a 3/4 disability rating and legs that always ached whenever the weather changed, he transformed his willpower into action, turning low-lying rice paddies into fertile gardens that generated high income, created jobs for the people, and made a positive contribution to his homeland.

Today, his model has become a place where many households in the commune come to learn from his experience. Many young people and veteran association members seek his advice on crop diversification. He is always willing to share his knowledge, never keeping his expertise a secret, and this openness is what makes "Minh The Garden" not only a production facility but also a place for exchange and spreading the spirit of striving for success.

The life story of Mr. Le Minh The reminds us that no situation is insurmountable if one has willpower. No difficulty is insurmountable with willpower and determination. The more difficult the circumstances, the more the qualities of a soldier of Uncle Ho's army shine.

Returning from the battlefield with injuries, starting from nothing and building an economic model that generates hundreds of millions of dong annually, war veteran Le Minh The has written his own fairy tale with sweat, willpower, and a kind heart.

He deserves to be considered a role model in the movement of veteran entrepreneurs excelling in business, and a source of pride for his hometown of Bat Trang, which is rich in revolutionary traditions.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/thuong-binh-le-minh-the-vuot-kho-lam-giau-726624.html