Thanh Cong is a mountainous commune located in the west of Pho Yen city (Thai Nguyen province), with a convenient transportation system, creating conditions for the locality to attract investment and develop socio-economy. In 2023, the average income per capita in Thanh Cong commune will reach 54.8 million VND/person/year. The main source of income for people in the commune is livestock and forestry, so Thanh Cong always prioritizes the development of livestock and poultry farming.

According to the results of the review of poor and near-poor households in early 2023, Thanh Cong commune still has 362 poor households (accounting for 8.3%) and 332 near-poor households (accounting for 7.61%). By 2024, the number of poor households in the commune will decrease to 275 households (accounting for 6.31%), and near-poor households will be 323 households (accounting for 7.41%).

This result was achieved thanks to the fact that since the beginning of 2023, Thanh Cong commune has paid special attention to vocational training and job creation for the people. During the year, the commune coordinated with the Center for Vocational Education and Continuing Education to open 4 elementary vocational classes with 140 students; coordinated with the Agricultural Service Center and the City Economic Department to open 7 training classes on how to process and care for tea for 245 people; regularly propagated and guided workers to study and work in places with stable jobs and guaranteed income.

Along with that, the commune also fully implements policies for poor and near-poor households, organizes inspections of the issuance of health insurance and certificates of poor and near-poor households in some hamlets, supports electricity bills, and strives to reduce the poverty target assigned by Pho Yen City.

Within the National Target Program on Sustainable Poverty Reduction, in 2023, Thanh Cong commune was allocated a capital of 537 million VND (of which, the central budget is 467 million VND, Pho Yen city budget is 70 million VND). With that capital, in 2023, together with the people's counterpart capital of 363,720 million VND, Thanh Cong commune implemented a project to support breeding cows - Lai Sind cows for 13 poor households and 15 near-poor households in the commune with a total of 28 sows.

As one of the poor households supported with cows under the poverty reduction project, Ms. Le Thi Minh Hue (Xuan Ha 4 hamlet, Thanh Cong commune) expressed: "My family used to be in very difficult circumstances. From 2011, 2012, my mother started to get sick and was bedridden, at that time the children were young so they could not help. In 2023, leaders at all levels, departments, and organizations helped and supported cows so that my family could have the conditions to develop the economy and raise the children to study, I feel very happy and grateful".

Mr. Nguyen Trong Nhat (Dong Dong hamlet, Thanh Cong commune) said: "My family is a poor household, with 4 members and 2 main workers. According to the project above, which partially supported, my family has participated in matching part of the cost to buy cows to raise. I find this a very practical project and brings relatively high economic efficiency. Because people can choose their own breeds, they will be suitable for the local natural conditions, convenient for raising, adapting to weather conditions and food. Up to now, my family's cows have given birth to the first litter and have started to breed for the second time."

Mr. Le Van Phong - former Head of Xuan Ha 4 Hamlet, Thanh Cong Commune said: Xuan Ha 4 Hamlet is located near the commune center, so the number of poor households is not much, mainly single-parent households and some households with difficult circumstances. With the agreement of the departments in the hamlet, according to the poverty reduction support project program, the first phase of the hamlet only registered for one household with enough conditions and labor to take care of breeding cows. In the recent phase, there was an additional support program, so the hamlet considered 2 more households to receive support for cows.

"In 2024, Xuan Ha hamlet was selected by the Commune People's Committee to reach the model new rural area, so the number of poor and near-poor households in the hamlet has almost all escaped poverty. Only a few single-parent households have not escaped poverty. Therefore, the hamlet also requested the Commune People's Committee and specialized departments to support a number of more cows so that poor households can enjoy that program, aiming to escape poverty of 100% of households with enough labor capacity this year" - Mr. Phong informed.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Quynh Trang - an officer of the Agricultural Service Center of Pho Yen City shared: "When starting the project, based on the list sent by the commune, we selected households with the ability to escape poverty to participate in the project. Participating households will contribute 20% according to the price of the cow and its weight, with a maximum support of 220kg/cow. In addition, each participating household will also be provided with bran and a licking stone. During the implementation, we directly took people to the breeding company so that they could choose the breeding animals themselves. In addition, before receiving the cows, the households were trained in science and technology in cattle raising. The households officially received the cows from November 2023. To date, out of a total of 23 cows supported under the project, 16 have been mated."