Journey with the poor

From one of the poorest provinces in the country, with a poverty rate of more than 50%, and some mountainous districts with a poverty rate of more than 80% - 90%, by the end of 2024, Quang Nam had made a breakthrough, reducing the multidimensional poverty rate to 4.56%.

In the journey of sustainable poverty reduction of Quang Nam since the province was re-established in 1997, I have been on that journey for more than 15 years. When I was first assigned by the editorial board to be in charge of poverty reduction, I could not imagine the reality of poverty of people in mountainous areas and ethnic minority areas.

The first time I approached the poor areas of the province in the districts that were benefiting from the policy of Resolution 30a at that time such as Nam Tra My, Tay Giang, Phuoc Son..., the miserable life and hunger of the people made me not believe my eyes, even though it was a clear reality.

They live in makeshift, dilapidated houses, a pot of rice mixed with cassava and a little fish sauce, a little white salt is what children in the mountains have. A meal with soup and fish is a luxury for children and people in the mountains. Trade with the outside world has not been opened because the roads are too difficult, they have labor but no jobs, have land but do not know what to do to end poverty.

Then a series of policies on health , education, employment, infrastructure investment, trade and service development, livelihood support for poor households... have directly impacted people's lives, helping people to improve their lives.

I got to know Ms. Dinh Thi Dien (village 1, Tra Van commune, Nam Tra My district) through a broom making class organized by the Women's Union of Nam Tra My district. Ms. Dien shared: "Every time the season comes, my sisters and I in the commune only know how to go to the forest to pick and dry the brooms to sell to buyers, but we don't know how to make any other products. After learning the trade, the price of brooms sold is much higher than selling the brooms by the kilo. The Women's Union also helps find outlets for grocery stores, so our income is more stable."

The policies on poverty reduction of the Central Government, the province, the methods of each locality or good, effective models on poverty reduction have been conveyed by Quang Nam Newspaper in each article, news bulletin, report. Such information also contributes to calling for the cooperation of the whole social community in the movement "Joining hands for the poor, leaving no one behind".

The community joining hands, supportive policies creating motivation, and the efforts of each poor and near-poor household in the province have contributed to the breakthrough poverty reduction that Quang Nam has achieved today.