The dreams of the children of the fishing village

(Baothanhhoa.vn) - Late in the afternoon, the fishing village of Thuy Long, Lam Son commune, resounds with laughter. Children play by the water's edge, occasionally throwing stones that splash the river surface. This is a rare moment in the day when they can fully experience their childhood amidst a place where their parents struggle to make a living.

One summer day, Nguyen Van Thang, who lived in Thuy Long fishing village, was taken out to play by his older brother.

Over 100 households in Thuy Long fishing village, who once lived a nomadic life depending on the tides, now have sturdy houses, electricity, and the sound of loudspeakers broadcasting announcements every morning and evening in their resettlement village. However, due to limited land and a lack of arable land, the lives of the villagers remain difficult. Many households still make a living on the river through cage fish farming.

Mr. Nguyen Van Thiet, a resident of the fishing village, shared: “My family received government support to resettle on land nearly 20 years ago, but we don't have any rice fields. Many families are in the same situation, so some work as construction laborers, others as hired drivers, and some sell fish at the market... Older people stay at home to look after grandchildren and raise fish in cages.”

According to Mr. Thiet, every household here has many children. In the summer, before the villagers were resettled on land, the children mainly played on the boat ramps, inventing their own games. Now that they've moved ashore, they run from one end of the village to the other, and their games are more diverse, such as flying kites, playing soccer, and playing marbles...

On a small cement courtyard by the riverbank, Nguyen Van Thang, a fourth-grade student, was playing with his older siblings. “This year I’m on summer vacation at home, so I don’t have to go to extra classes. During the day I play with my friends, and in the afternoon my dad takes me to the boat with my grandparents to go fishing,” Thang said, pointing to the small boat across the river where his grandparents were tending their fish cages. The boy said that when he grows up, he doesn’t want to be a fisherman: “I want to be a civil engineer to build houses and bridges. I hope our house will be taller and wider so that the whole family doesn’t have to go down to the boat anymore.”

In the sturdy houses of the resettlement area, many children like Thang are nurturing dreams of breaking free from their parents' burdens. Some want to become engineers, others dream of being teachers or soldiers... For Nguyen Van Manh, a 6th-grade student, he hopes to become a football player for the Thanh Hoa team in the future. "He has a talent for football, so every summer his family sends him to the Viet Hung Football Training Center in Thanh Hoa City (the name before July 1st - PV) to train," shared Ms. Nguyen Thi Dao, Manh's mother.

In Thuy Long fishing village, summer may not offer the same beach trips or amusement parks as city children, but it's filled with the lively sounds of laughter from the volleyball court and the warm sense of community forged over years of sharing the same waters. Speaking of the changes after resettlement, the people of Thuy Long are proud that, from a place where 100% of households were poor, homeless, and living on boats, most households have now escaped poverty, have stable housing, and access to the national power grid. Importantly, their children's education is prioritized, with 100% of children attending school at the appropriate age, and many having successfully passed entrance exams to colleges and universities.

Late in the afternoon in Thuy Long fishing village, children gather around a simple meal with their families. The dishes—river fish, crab soup, garden vegetables—are modest but heartwarming. Down on the river, the sound of water lapping against the boats grows louder, and the electric lights from the fish cages illuminate the entire area. I believe that, despite the hardships of life, the dreams of these children will soon come true.

Text and photos: Dinh Giang

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/uoc-mo-cua-nhung-nbsp-dua-tre-lang-chai-253800.htm