The new rural construction movement in Ha Tinh is increasingly going into depth with many outstanding results. One of the reasons for the above success is the important contribution of women's unions at all levels, including the "leadership" role of women's union chairmen at the grassroots level.

Taking economic benefits as the driving force for new rural construction

Reaching the finish line of the new rural commune model in 2021, Tuong Son (Thach Ha) has become a model, attracting localities inside and outside the province to visit and learn from. This success is the result of the efforts and high consensus of the local Party Committee, government and people, including the great contribution of the local women's unions at all levels, especially the strong mark of the Chairwoman of the Commune Women's Union - Ms. Bui Thi Hoa.

A corner of Tuong Son commune today.

In 2008, after graduating from high school, Ms. Bui Thi Hoa (born in 1988) started participating in social work as Deputy Secretary of the Youth Union of Tuong Son commune. In 2015, she was elected Vice President of the Commune Women's Union. Since September 2019, after graduating from Nghe An University of Economics, she was elected President of the Commune Women's Union.

Ms. Bui Thi Hoa - President of Women's Union of Tuong Son commune.

Ms. Hoa shared: "The Women's Union of Tuong Son commune currently has over 1,200 members, of which 80% specialize in agricultural production. In the past, through propaganda and mobilization, members have actively participated in the movement to build new rural areas and achieved many good results. However, in order for the movement to go into depth, especially to implement well the models: building model gardens, "5 no, 3 clean", "5 yes model new rural areas"... at first, we also encountered many difficulties. However, with the policy of the Women's Union of the commune: taking practical effectiveness, especially economic benefits in building new rural areas so that women have the motivation to follow, the movement to build new rural areas has really attracted members...".

From the branch cadres who took the lead in changing farming methods, applying science and technology to production to bring high income, the female members have responded positively. Up to now, the whole Tuong Son commune has 30 model gardens that the commune Women's Union supported women to build, bringing an average income of 80 - 120 million VND/garden/year.

The Women's Union of Tuong Son commune currently has 30 members building model gardens with an income of 80-120 million VND/garden/year. In the photo: Model garden of Ms. Dang Thi Muoi in Doai Phu village.

Currently in Tuong Son, the rate of "5 no 3 clean" families is nearly 90%, the rate of households classifying and treating waste is 95%. The Women's Union of the commune has also supported the construction of 103 models of "clean houses - beautiful gardens - economic efficiency", 1 model of "5 yes - model new rural area".

The Women's Union also effectively implemented programs of women's unions at all levels on social security, culture, and sports such as: godmother, green house, folk dance...

Ms. Hoa talked with the family of the association member about building the model "Clean house, beautiful garden".

With these achievements, for many consecutive years, the Women's Union of Tuong Son commune has been awarded many certificates of merit by the Central Committee of the Vietnam Women's Union and the Provincial Women's Union. Ms. Bui Thi Hoa, for 5 consecutive years, has been an advanced worker and was awarded a certificate of merit by the Chairman of the People's Committee of Thach Ha district. Last May, she was one of 24 outstanding commune-level women's union chairmen across the province to be honored in the movement to study and follow the ideology, morality and style of Ho Chi Minh in 2023.

Attract members by building a vibrant spiritual and cultural life

Starting to complete the construction of the new rural area in 2015, by 2021, Ky Chau commune (Ky Anh district) had reached the advanced new rural area finish line and by August 2023, the commune had achieved 20/20 criteria for a model new rural area, currently waiting for the province to appraise and recognize.

Mr. Tran Cong An - Chairman of the People's Committee of Ky Chau commune said: "The locality has a difficulty in lacking local labor when entering the construction of the new rural area (because the majority of men are of mature age and have left the country). However, the stages of building the advanced and exemplary new rural area have quickly completed the criteria, thanks to the women's force. In particular, as the leader, Ms. Nguyen Thi Lam - Chairman of the Women's Union of the commune has had many creative ways, promoting collective strength to carry out the common movement".

Ms. Nguyen Thi Lam - President of Women's Union of Ky Chau commune.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Lam (born in 1985) in Ky Chau commune. In 2008, after graduating from the Faculty of Literature - Vinh University (Nghe An), she had a period of time teaching on contract at a high school in the area. After that, she was accepted to work at the People's Committee of Ky Chau commune as a specialized officer in building new rural areas. In 2013, she was elected as the President of the Women's Union of the commune.

Taking on the role of head of the women's association, when the locality implemented the construction of the new rural area, Ms. Lam encountered many difficulties. With the characteristic of a large number of members who are religious people (accounting for 1/3), women also work in many professions such as: trading, services... so it is very difficult to gather and attract them to participate in activities and carry out the common movement.

Faced with that situation, Ms. Lam "went to every alley, knocked on every door" to mobilize members to participate in activities, and at the same time advocated improving the spiritual life of women by transforming traditional branch activities into cultural exchange programs, folk dances..., thereby attracting a large number of women to participate. With this approach, the women's movement in Ky Chau has increasingly developed, promoting collective strength to successfully carry out many tasks.

Ky Chau commune folk dance club performed in the "Communication Program on Family Service Model Contributing to Building Happy Families" piloted by the Central Committee of the Vietnam Women's Union.

Up to now, the whole Ky Chau commune has established and effectively maintained many types of clubs to attract members such as: Clean house and beautiful garden club, Happy family, New rural construction, Family with 5 haves, 3 cleans, Women in religious areas integrating and developing, Folk dance, Saving model following Uncle Ho's example..., attracting nearly 90% of members to participate in activities.

Women in Ky Chau commune have successfully built 130 "Clean House, Beautiful Garden" models; 2 flower roads 900m long; 7 standard model gardens; self-managed 4 model roads; mobilized donations to build 2 flower light roads in Bac Chau village 1,200m long; supported women to start a business and successfully build a rice paper product that achieved 3-star OCOP...

Women's Union members of Ky Chau commune actively cultivate tree seedlings to build a new rural flower road in the area.

The Women's Union of the commune has also established 4 "Green House" models to collect recycled waste, saving 36.4 million VND, giving 45 gifts to poor children and women; sponsoring 2 orphans with 300,000 VND/child/month; helping 8 poor and near-poor households to escape poverty by: helping to borrow capital, renovating gardens, giving health insurance cards...

For many years, Ms. Nguyen Thi Lam has been awarded certificates of merit by the authorities at all levels and the Provincial Women's Union for her achievements in leading the women's movement and association. Ms. Lam is also one of 24 chairwomen of the grassroots Women's Unions recognized by the Provincial Women's Union as exemplary in the province.

Ms. Bui Thi Hoa (front row, 3rd from right) and Ms. Nguyen Thi Lam (back row, 1st from left) were honored at the program "May Flowers for Uncle Ho's People" - honoring typical chairmen of grassroots women's associations in the province in 2023.

According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Le Ha - President of the Ha Tinh Women's Union, in recent times, Ha Tinh Women's Unions at all levels have always actively participated in the movement to build new rural areas and achieved many outstanding results, recognized by authorities at all levels. In particular, we highly appreciate the role of grassroots women's unions, headed by commune-level Women's Union presidents. Among many examples, Ms. Bui Thi Hoa - President of the Women's Union of Tuong Son commune (Thach Ha) and Ms. Nguyen Thi Lam - President of the Women's Union of Ky Chau commune (Ky Anh district) are 2 of 6 typical individuals, with many outstanding achievements in the movement to build new rural areas as well as other movements in general, were honored by the Provincial Women's Union, and selected as delegates to attend the National Conference to honor outstanding grassroots presidents, which will be held in the near future".

Angel