Sowing "red seeds" for the Party

Carrying three important responsibilities as Deputy Secretary of the Party Cell, Head of the Village and NCUT, Mr. Luong Van Chung (Khang ethnic group), Na Hy 1 village, Na Hy commune (Nam Po district) always wondered: How to make "bamboo shoots grow" before "old bamboo"? How to develop a source of quality party members?

In the ancient stilt house, Mr. Luong Van Chung confided: To strengthen the Party cell and build a team of local successor Party members, I and other dedicated Party members went directly to each household, encouraging them to send their children to classes to learn to read and write. Actively support people to reclaim land, develop the economy, find jobs in the locality, so that the masses do not have to leave their homeland, especially the youth, demobilized soldiers, new graduates... Conduct a review of Party development resources, select positive and typical factors participating in social activities to guide, nurture, and introduce to the Party. Thanks to that, from a place with few Party members when it was first established, Na Hy 1 village now has 23 Party members. The Party members have promoted their core role in the political system at the grassroots level, always taking the lead in building the great national unity bloc, building and protecting villages and hamlets.

From the "red seed", Ms. Leng Thi Duyen was introduced and trained to join the Party by the Na Hy 1 village Party Cell and has truly "sprouted". Not only is she a shining example of economic development with a fruit business model, purchasing and processing cassava... earning an income of over 150 million VND/year, she is also trusted by the women to be elected as the head of the village women's association. Ms. Duyen shared: "As a party member, I must be a good example for the women to follow". From many effective and creative ways, Ms. Duyen has built a strong association movement; actively mobilized women to enthusiastically work in production, supported the construction of a red peanut growing model ( ^4,000m2 ); mobilized working days to help disadvantaged women escape poverty (the rate of poor women households in the village decreased to 3/48 households).

Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Son, Standing Deputy Secretary of Nam Po District Party Committee, said: Although the district is newly established, the work of developing party members in ethnic minority areas in border communes in Nam Po district has achieved many positive results. The district Party Committee has enlisted the help of village elders, village chiefs, and NCUT in propagating and mobilizing people to put the Party's resolutions into practice; creating a source for developing party members. Currently, the district has successfully eliminated "blank" party cells and "blank" party members, with a total of 3,121 party members; of which, 2,587 party members are ethnic minorities (accounting for 82.9%).

"Extended arm" of Party committees and authorities

Village elders, village chiefs, and ethnic minority leaders in general and ethnic minorities in border communes in particular have a very important position and role, being the core force and an important bridge between the Party Committee, the government and the people. With their prestige and responsibility, they have made important contributions in many areas of socio-economic life, political security, and social order and safety.

In the memory of the village elder, NCUT Hu Cha Thai, Nam Sin village, Chung Chai commune (Muong Nhe district), the Si La people (a very small ethnic group) are used to living in the mountains and forests, moving here and there, leaving their lives to nature. To stabilize their lives and build a new life, following the policy of the province and district, he pioneered and mobilized people to leave Ta Phi Cha mountain top to establish a village by Nam Sin stream.

After settling down, from only knowing how to poke holes and sow seeds on the fields, old Thai started a revolution in growing wet rice in this poor land. Old Thai said: “The Nam Sin stream provides an abundant source of water, I reclaimed the land myself, took advantage of the streams to build small dams, and dug canals to bring water to the fields to grow wet rice. At first, it was only a few hundred square meters, then the area of ​​wet rice for two crops increased to more than 3,000 ^{square meters} , yielding nearly 100 bags of rice per year”. From then on, old Thai’s family had enough to eat and save.

“It is not enough for our family to have a full stomach, we must think about our fellow countrymen and our village to be full too…”. Thanks to the Thai elders accompanying, working together, supporting seeds, and providing technical guidance to the people, the rice area of ​​the village has been expanded. Currently, the total agricultural land area of ​​the village is about 30 hectares; of which, 20 hectares are used for rice cultivation, 1.2 hectares for fish ponds, cardamom cultivation, etc., contributing to raising the average food output per capita to over 360 kg/year. From here, the life of the Si La people has been prosperous, the poverty rate has decreased significantly; most families have invested in building new, repairing solid houses, and buying televisions and motorbikes. Typical households include: Ly Cha Che, Ly Cha Co, Hu Cha Binh, etc.

“NCUT, including village elders and village chiefs, are considered by our Party as a special mass force, a bridge connecting “the Party’s will and the people’s heart”, and role models for people at the grassroots level to firmly believe in the Party. In the current period, the political security and social order and safety situation in the border communes of Dien Bien province is potentially complicated. NCUT will be the target that hostile forces will focus on trying to influence. Therefore, Dien Bien province pays great attention to caring for, nurturing and promoting the role of NCUT teams among ethnic minorities; considering this an important political task to effectively implement ethnic policies; contributing to the construction and socio-economic development of the province” - Mr. Vu Van Cong, Deputy Head of the Provincial Ethnic Committee said.

Bright Frontier

Dien Bien is a province with an important strategic position, especially in terms of national defense and security in the Northwest region of the country. In recent years, with the attention of the Party and the State; the joint efforts of the village elders, village chiefs, and ethnic minority groups in the far western border of the country, it has been developing strongly. The infrastructure system has been invested in and built synchronously and comprehensively, contributing to the development of border communes in terms of economy, culture, society, national defense and security. Currently, the whole province has 16/29 border communes that have achieved and basically achieved new rural standards (6 communes have achieved new rural standards); the poverty rate has decreased to 30.67%; 232 villages have achieved the title of cultural village with 18,537 cultural families.

Coming to Thanh Chan today, the first commune in Dien Bien province to reach the new rural area (NTM) standard, the bustling atmosphere and youthful life filled the entire village. Electricity, roads, schools and stations were invested in and built solidly; stilt houses and brick houses were built neatly next to clean concrete roads, and green rice fields stretched far and wide, creating a prosperous and peaceful scene.

Thanh Chan seems to be wearing a new coat with 100% of commune and inter-commune roads asphalted and concreted; 100% of households using the national grid; no more temporary or dilapidated houses. By the end of this year, 3 villages and hamlets will meet the model NTM standards; bringing the total number of villages and hamlets meeting the model NTM standards to 14/16 villages and hamlets. Average income reaches over 52 million VND/person/year; the poverty rate is reduced to 4.2% (in 2023).

With a radiant face, Mr. Ca Van Phuong, Head of Co My village shared: “People are very excited! Thanks to the NTM, life is getting better, more prosperous and fuller. The land that was once difficult is now a prosperous countryside.”

“The new rural construction has breathed new life into the people, helping them improve both materially and spiritually. Many public works have left a strong mark on the village elders, village chiefs, NCUT and the people when they voluntarily gave up part of their property; joining hands to build Thanh Chan to become more and more beautiful, developed, and have a more prosperous life,” said Mr. Pham Minh Tiep, Vice Chairman of Thanh Chan Commune People's Committee, excitedly.

The westernmost border strip today is bright with the sound of a fresh, prosperous life. Blending in with that life is the pioneering and exemplary spirit of the village elders, village chiefs, and NCUTs who have devoted themselves to community life. Regardless of their positions, they always share the same “source of life” as a bridge between the Party and the village, with their fellow countrymen; helping the people “have a bright head and a warm stomach”. They are proud to be “children of the Party”, and each citizen is always proud that the Party and the village have them.