Overcoming the fog, brightening up the highlands

>> Yen Bai effectively promotes ethnic policies

>> Yen Bai highlands change thanks to ethnic policies

This is the result of a comprehensive, synchronous and humane effort, activated and led by the combined strength of national target programs (NTPs), especially the NTP for socio -economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas (EMMA).

Open policy, building trust

Policy - it sounds dry, but in Yen Bai, it has become a solid "springboard", helping tens of thousands of people escape the vicious cycle of poverty. The total central budget capital for the National Target Program on Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas in the 2021 - 2025 period of over 2,611 billion VND is not just a number. It has "transformed" into practical works, creating a new look and brighter life in the highlands.

Over the past three years (2021 - 2024), Yen Bai province has supported the renovation and repair of nearly 4,000 houses for poor and near-poor households. Warmer, safer - that simple thing is the lifelong dream of many Mong, Thai, Dao people... here. And miraculously, transport infrastructure - the key factor in breaking isolation and opening up life - has made great strides in Yen Bai.

I still remember the words of Mrs. Ban Thi Coi in Nam Muoi commune, Van Chan district, her voice choked but her eyes sparkling: "When the State called for the expansion of the road from National Highway 32 to the center of Sung Do and Nam Muoi communes, my family donated more than 1,500m of precious cinnamon forest land with more than 3,500 cinnamon trees 3-4 years old. Land is property, trees are sweat, but thinking about the people traveling less suffering, the future of Nam Muoi brightening, my heart feels light. The opened road is not only more convenient but also extends the number of trucks carrying hope, promotes trade, and brings a more prosperous life to the whole village. I am so happy, uncle!". That simple sharing encapsulates the meaning of 72 road projects, about 130km, that have been newly opened from the Program.

These "life-changing routes" not only bring farmers' agricultural products to the city but also bring the breath of development, tourism , and markets to the villages. A great step forward when the whole province reached 100% of communes with asphalt or concrete car roads to the center and 96% of villages with hardened car roads to the center - exceeding the program target (70%) by 26%. That number is a strong proof of the determination to "break the ice" of isolation, connecting the highlands with the lowlands.

Along with the road network, electricity to the village and clean water to the house are no longer a distant dream. The national grid has covered 99% of households. Clean water has reached 93.5% of ethnic minority families, exceeding the target by 3.5%. The education and health systems have also been firmly consolidated: 100% of schools and medical stations have been solidly built, ensuring conditions for learning and medical examination and treatment right at the locality.

In addition, the Program also invested in 224 other essential infrastructure projects such as bridges, irrigation, markets, cultural and sports works... But the policy does not stop at the physical "shell". The real vitality comes from the transformation in people's thinking and business practices, supported by the State to activate and unleash internal strength.

By the end of 2024, the whole province will have 100% of communes with asphalt or concrete car roads to the center and 96% of villages with hardened car roads to the center.

In Lang Hua village, Suoi Bu commune, I still remember the bright smile of Mr. Vang A Ho when he received a mini plow from the Program. For a family lacking production land, this is a valuable opportunity to change jobs, improve productivity, and gradually escape poverty. Mr. Ho is one of 6,933 households supported with distributed water for agricultural production; 1,658 households received support for purchasing agricultural tools and changing jobs in the whole province under the Program. In addition, 37 livelihood projects, 7 value chain production models, and the assignment of forest protection and afforestation contracts on 65,225 hectares have fundamentally changed the mindset of "waiting" to bold "self-reliance - development".

Each successful model is a "practical lesson", igniting the desire to get rich on the homeland. In the midst of that development flow, cultural identity - the soul of each ethnic group - is still cherished and preserved. 150 prestigious delegates in the ethnic minority community were honored; 15 classes were organized to teach intangible culture, equipment was purchased to support 30 art troupes, 58 community bookcases were supported..., contributing to preserving the beauty of our ancestors, so that the past and present can blend together, creating a unique Yen Bai rich in identity.

Poverty reduction - stories of overcoming fate

In Yen Bai, poverty reduction is not simply a "campaign" but a journey of companionship, perseverance, endurance and humanity. At the end of 2021, the poverty rate in the whole province was 18.07%. By the end of 2024, this figure will be 5.68%, a decrease of 12.39%, an average decrease of 4.13%/year - 1.13% higher than the central target (3%).

In particular, two districts that were once "extremely difficult", Tram Tau and Mu Cang Chai, have witnessed miraculous changes. The average poverty rate of the two districts decreased from 59.09% at the end of 2021 to 33.4% at the end of 2024, an average annual decrease of 8.56% - an impressive rate, proving that the Party's will is in line with the people's wishes and that policies are being put into practice. The poverty rate among ethnic minorities also decreased impressively from 30.36% at the end of 2021 to 10.03% at the end of 2024. In that emotional journey of poverty reduction, there are people whose fates have been transformed by policies.

The story of Ms. Deo Thi Bich, a Thai ethnic in Hat 1 village, Hat Luu commune, Tram Tau district is a typical example. In 2021, with access to support loans from the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies (VBSP), she focused on raising buffaloes, pigs, chickens, and cows. Her diligence brought "sweet fruit": from being a poor household, she rose to a stable income of 40 million VND per year from raising livestock alone. This success helped her family escape poverty sustainably and build a spacious house. Ms. Bich's story is a living proof of the effective use of capital and the strong will of people in disadvantaged areas.

Or the story of Mr. Hang A Do, a Mong ethnic in La Pan Tan commune, a famous community tourism destination in Mu Cang Chai. Previously, his life was difficult, relying only on rice and corn fields. Opportunities opened up when he accessed preferential loans from the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies. Mr. Do shared: "Before, when we did not do tourism, my family had a lot of difficulties. Luckily, we borrowed capital from the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies to invest in tourism. Up to now, the number of visitors has been steady, especially during the rice harvest season. Life is better with an income of about 200 million VND/year".

The story of Mrs. Bich, Mr. Do and thousands of other households is a living proof of the effectiveness of using policy capital, becoming a "fishing rod" to help people exploit their native potential and get rich in their homeland. Preferential credit policy is an important "lever": 39,363 poor, near-poor and newly escaped poverty households borrowed preferential capital from the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies with a total turnover of VND 2,787 billion. The bad debt ratio maintained at a very low level (below 0.1%) is a clear demonstration of the strong change in business awareness and the desire to rise up.

In particular, from 2021 to the end of 2024, 18,500 poor households borrowing capital from the VBSP have escaped poverty. Thousands of highland workers have been consulted and connected to jobs (2,495 people have been successful), of which 2,140 people have been supported with vocational training, 136 people have gone to work abroad under contracts, not only bringing higher income but also an opportunity to "broaden their horizons", fundamentally changing their perception and life.

Not only taking care of "food and clothing", the programs also aim at fundamental values: health, education, culture. Over the past 4 years, more than 1,547,520 people from poor, near-poor, ethnic minority households... participated in medical examination and treatment, 100% of these people were supported with health insurance. Children are fully vaccinated, go to school with full school bags thanks to the education support policy, helping over 60,350 students from poor and near-poor families each year. The rate of underweight malnutrition in children under 15 years old has decreased to 14.1%.

From the smallest changes in each roof, each field, from the bright eyes of children going to school, a new look is gradually taking shape and shining in the highland villages of Yen Bai. Community tourism models are filled with the laughter of tourists, OCOP products with the flavor of the mountains and forests are reaching the market, production cooperatives are developing strongly in the middle of the great forest...

Yen Bai today has an impressive poverty reduction rate, with 28/28 communes and 178/191 villages having escaped the category of extremely difficult. That is proof that wherever there are correct policies, strong leadership, effective resources and most importantly, there is a heart of consensus and the will to rise of the people, there life will improve.

The journey to overcome the fog in the highland villages continues - with the will of the Party Committee, the synchronous participation of the political system, the joint efforts of the community and most importantly, the radiant faith and burning aspiration in the eyes of each citizen, Yen Bai is continuing to write new miracles not only in numbers but also in stories of revival, of dreams that have come true.

Van Thong

Source: https://baoyenbai.com.vn/215/349664/Vuot-suong-mu-bung-sang-vung-cao.aspx