Brave in wartime, dedicated in peacetime.

Mr. Do Huu Tho (Xuan Hoa 2 hamlet, Thanh Vinh Dong commune, Chau Thanh district) has made many contributions to promoting education and talent development in the locality.

Deeply committed to promoting education.

We visited Mr. Do Huu Tho in Xuan Hoa 2 hamlet, Thanh Vinh Dong commune, Chau Thanh district, Long An province. He is the former Party Secretary of the commune and the son of Heroic Vietnamese Mother Le Thi Hoa. He joined the army at the age of 17 and was admitted to the Party two years later. In 1970, he was wounded and captured by the enemy in Bien Hoa ( Dong Nai province), then transferred to Phu Quoc prison. After being released, he returned to Long An to work in military intelligence. During his military career, he was awarded many prestigious titles by the State, such as the First Class Anti-American Resistance Medal, the Second Class Liberation Medal, and the title of Hero in the Fight Against America .

Mr. Tho recounted that in the years immediately following liberation, the commune was very poor. The Thanh Vinh Dong area experienced six months of saltwater and six months of freshwater, allowing for only one rice crop per year, with a yield of less than 3 tons per hectare. Roads were not as good as they are now; people mainly traveled by boat, making travel even more difficult during the flood season. “When the dike was built, people’s lives improved. Although still difficult, it was nothing compared to wartime,” Mr. Tho said. Having fought in the fierce battles, they understood the value of peace better than anyone else, and were determined to unite and overcome hardships.

As a village leader, Mr. Tho paid close attention to the lives of the people, caring for families of policy beneficiaries and those who contributed to the revolution. After retiring, Mr. Tho remained active in the Veterans' Association movement. A revolving fund for veterans in Xuan Hoa 2 hamlet was established with more than 20 members participating. Each year, members contribute money, and veterans facing difficulties are given priority to withdraw first. Although the amount is not large, it provides timely support to veterans in need.

In addition, the Veterans Association of the commune receives authorization from the District Branch of the Social Policy Bank to provide loans to its members at preferential interest rates. To date, there are no longer any poor or near-poor veteran members in the commune, and their living standards are steadily improving.

Not only that, he is also wholeheartedly dedicated to promoting education and talent development in the locality. In the past, the commune was poor, and many children lacked the means to attend school or had to drop out to help their families. As the Chairman of the Commune's Education Promotion Association, Mr. Tho did not shy away from difficulties, actively encouraging students to attend classes, and collaborating with the school to raise funds to support poor students. Each year, students receive support ranging from 200-300 million VND from the Commune's Education Promotion Fund and through social mobilization efforts by the school. To date, the commune no longer has any students dropping out of school, and the general level of education is steadily improving.

Although retired, Mr. Tho remains deeply committed to promoting education. Every year, on the occasion of the National Unity Day, he mobilizes 15 gifts for children in difficult circumstances. In 2010, he was awarded a Certificate of Merit by the Central Executive Committee of the Vietnam Association for the Promotion of Education for his outstanding achievements in the movement to promote education and talent, and build a learning society.

Brave and undeterred by difficulties.

In Hamlet 3, Lac Tan Commune, Tan Tru District, everyone knows Mr. Chin Ninh because he is very reputable in the area. In 1962, the young Phan Quoc Ninh, only 17 years old, volunteered to join the revolution. He worked locally until 1965 when he transferred to the Southeast battlefield. That same year, he was admitted to the Party.

Mr. Chín Ninh recounted that this was a fierce period of the war. The enemy launched numerous attacks. They destroyed, burned, and killed everything in their path, leaving many areas completely barren. The more aggressive the enemy became, the stronger the morale of our troops grew. Despite fighting under harsh conditions, he and his comrades remained steadfast in their goals and ideals; applying correct strategies and tactics, they gradually annihilated the enemy.

Mr. Phan Quoc Ninh (Hamlet 3, Lac Tan Commune, Tan Tru District) is a distinguished and exemplary veteran who has made many contributions to the development of the locality.

In 1974, Mr. Chín Ninh was wounded and transferred to the rear, where he met nurse Châu Hồng Điệp. Ms. Điệp, born in 1948 in Bà Rịa province, had joined the revolution at the age of 16. Sharing the same ideals and fighting on the same front, they fell in love and eventually married. During that period, our army was overwhelmingly powerful, and news of victories poured in from all over, boosting the morale of the soldiers. On April 30, 1975, the nation rejoiced.

Mr. Chín Ninh recounted: "The joy was indescribable. I hugged my gun and fired all three magazines to celebrate; the barrel was red hot, so I dipped it in water and fired again." His joy doubled when Mrs. Điệp gave birth to their first son on the same day as liberation.

At the end of 1976, they returned to their hometown. Mr. Chín Ninh became Vice Chairman and then Chairman of the People's Committee of Lạc Tấn commune; Mrs. Điệp became Chairman of the Women's Union of the commune. Mr. Chín Ninh said that at that time the commune was very poor, having just achieved peace, so everyone was suffering. The people didn't know any other way to make a living besides growing rice. But even the rice crop failed; the couple's 4,000m² rice field ^only yielded a few dozen bushels each harvest season.

Mr. Chin Ninh said: “Back then, I had a backpack and lived in the forest for over ten years. Sometimes we went half a month without rice, having to eat vegetables and banana roots. There were many ways to die in the forest: starvation, malaria, getting lost, even a falling dry branch (due to chemical spraying) could kill you. But if we overcame such hardships, what are the difficulties ahead?” Thinking this way, the couple poured all their efforts into the fight and were full of hope for the future.

Mr. Phan Quoc Ninh and Mrs. Chau Hong Diep (Hamlet 3, Lac Tan Commune, Tan Tru District) have fought together, supported, shared, and loved each other for over 50 years.

He encouraged people to reclaim land in Dong Thap Muoi, enabling many households to acquire 5-7 hectares of rice paddies and quickly escape poverty. He proposed to the Social Policy Bank that farmers be allowed to borrow money to raise cattle and goats, creating additional livelihoods so they wouldn't be overly dependent on rice cultivation. Today, many households maintain and increase their livestock herds, and still often mention and express their gratitude to Mr. Chin Ninh.

In addition, he also serves as the Chairman of the Veterans Association and the Chairman of the Elderly Association of the commune. "Every day I go down to the hamlet to check on the situation," said Mr. Chín Ninh. According to the Chairman of the Veterans Association of Lạc Tấn commune, Nguyễn Văn Đậm, Mr. Chín Ninh is upright, enthusiastic, and courageous, so he is very well-liked by the people. Many people, whenever they encounter difficult problems, seek his advice and solutions.

Thanks to his significant contributions, the locality has developed significantly. Decades ago, he had to walk 4-5km to work every day, the roads muddy in the rain and dusty in the sun. Now, his hometown is developing rapidly, and the people's lives have improved, which makes him very happy. All three of his children are Party members and always follow their parents' example. Mr. Chín Ninh has been awarded the First, Second, and Third Class Resistance Against America Medals, the Glorious Soldier Medal, and many commendations from the district and commune.

The veterans we met were all around 80 years old. Although retired, with failing eyesight and weak legs, their spirits remained high, and they continued to contribute to the best of their abilities. They constantly followed the situation of the country and their localities, firmly believing in the bright future of the nation.

Chau Thanh

Source: https://baolongan.vn/anh-dung-thoi-chien-cong-hien-thoi-binh-a193900.html