People of Ayun commune are grateful to General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong

Warmth from the " gift " of the General Secretary

Ayun commune has 6/6 villages and hamlets in particularly difficult conditions, with about 1,000 households, of which the Gia Rai and Ba Na ethnic minorities account for 97%, with limited production labor, depending on nature and rainwater. The total cultivated area of ​​the commune is nearly 2,000 hectares, but most of them do not have the initiative to irrigate, so they can only grow one crop, with low crop yield and production efficiency. In addition, Ayun commune is located in an isolated location, far from the district center, once considered an "oasis", with a harsh climate and lack of irrigation water for agricultural production, so the situation of food shortages in the lean season is always persistent.

Remember the event in April 2017, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and a delegation of Central officials visited and worked in Ayun commune. After meeting and talking with ethnic minorities, the General Secretary expressed concern when hearing the local government report that Ayun was awarded the title of Hero of the Armed Forces, but more than 80% of poor households were ethnic minorities.

After understanding the thoughts and aspirations of the people and cadres of Ayun commune, the General Secretary directed the central and Gia Lai provincial authorities to prioritize capital for the construction of the Pleikeo irrigation project to ensure regular water supply for Ayun. At the same time, the General Secretary also hoped that cadres and people must change their thinking and working style; must mobilize people's strength in work; must increase initiative and not wait for the Central Government for everything...

In mid-2018, the Pleikeo irrigation project started construction, with a total investment of 120 billion VND, invested by the People's Committee of Chu Se district. The project has the capacity to irrigate about 500 hectares of crops with a 15 km long canal system. By the end of 2019, the Pleikeo irrigation project officially led the water to Ayun field to the joy of the people.

From here, this irrigation project not only brought water, but also opened up the way of thinking and changed the inherent way of doing things of hundreds of Gia Rai and Ba Na families for many generations. People gradually abandoned traditional farming methods, instead cultivating intensively, growing rice 2-3 times a year. Thanks to that, people not only eliminated hunger and reduced poverty but also rose up to become well-off.

Mr. Nguyen Van Hop, Party Secretary and Chairman of the People's Committee of Ayun Commune, shared: “Previously, people could only grow one rice crop depending on nature, so they could not escape poverty. When Pleikeo irrigation project was built, it met the irrigation needs for about 300 hectares. Now people know how to grow 2-3 rice crops per year, the yield increased from 2-3 tons/ha to 6 tons/ha. Since then, the poverty rate of Ayun Commune has decreased from 80% (in 2017) to about 30% now.”

Grateful to the General Secretary, ethnic groups in Ayun commune unite to build their homeland

From a particularly poor commune with frequent food shortages during lean seasons, with the investment and support of ethnic minority policies and programs, especially the effective Pleikeo irrigation project, the appearance of Ayun commune has gradually changed, putting on a new coat of prosperity. In the lush green rice fields, people are taking advantage of the opportunity to increase production, busy preparing for the new crop season.

Having achieved these results, the people of Ayun commune are always grateful and remember the image of the General Secretary who is close to the people, listens to the people's voices, and works with the people to find a way to develop and escape poverty sustainably.

Elder Dinh A Nhur (70 years old, A Chong village) confided: Thanks to Uncle Trong, the lives of the people here have escaped poverty, have food and savings. In the past, there was often famine during the lean season. Now that there is water, the people know how to grow more rice, coffee, and fruit trees. Witnessing such a clear change, I feel very happy. To have what we have today, the people are always grateful to Uncle Trong. Promoting the role of village elder, I have often promoted and mobilized the people to work hard, grow more rice and coffee to escape poverty sustainably.

In recent days, upon hearing the news of the passing of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, people in Ayun commune expressed their deepest condolences.

Mr. Dinh Lyam (46 years old, Tung Ke 2 village) also did not forget the day the General Secretary visited and encouraged him. “After more than 7 years, with the General Secretary’s encouragement, my family was determined to escape poverty. Currently, my family has cultivated about five sao of rice fields, one hectare of land for growing crops; my children are studying hard. When I heard the news of the General Secretary’s death, I was very sad, regretful and extremely grateful to the General Secretary. I promised that I would teach my children and grandchildren to be united, take care of their studies, and build their homeland to develop more and more, not letting down the General Secretary’s care for our people,” Mr. Lyam confided.

Mr. Siu Bli, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Ayun commune, could not help but feel infinite regret when remembering General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. Mr. Bli emotionally said: He was very honored and proud to meet General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong during his visit to the locality 7 years ago. During the conversation, the General Secretary encouraged and reminded that officials must be exemplary so that people will believe and listen to what they say. "I feel that the General Secretary is a simple, warm-hearted person who talks closely and learns very carefully about the living conditions of people in remote areas like Ayun. It is because of that close attention that the General Secretary gave the people of Ayun a special gift with very long-term significance - the Plei Keo irrigation project".

“When hearing the news of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s passing, everyone in the commune was sad and mournful. In gratitude to the General Secretary, I and the people of all ethnic groups in Ayun commune promise to unite, strive to work hard in production, promote the effectiveness of Plei Keo irrigation, and together help Ayun escape poverty as General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong wished,” Mr. Siu Bli expressed his determination.