Quang Ninh Border Guard "nurtures" sustainable border

The program "Helping children go to school - Adopted children of border guards" implemented by the Provincial Border Guard Command in recent years has created opportunities for hundreds of poor students on the province's border lines to study and practice well. Thereby, contributing to training human resources for localities to serve the construction and consolidation of the grassroots political system, especially building a "People's heart position" to firmly protect the Fatherland's borders...

Nurturing "green shoots" on the border

Accompanying the officers of Tra Co Border Guard Station, we recently had the opportunity to visit the family of Vi Thi Lan Anh, currently a 9th grade student at Tra Co Secondary School (Mong Cai City). She is one of 4 students with especially difficult circumstances who have been sponsored by the unit under the program "Helping children go to school - Adopted children of the Border Guard Station".

Officers and soldiers of Tra Co Border Guard Station, along with representatives of Tra Co Ward Party Committee and the Secretary of the residential area Party Cell, visited Vi Thi Lan Anh's family. (Photo provided by the unit)

Through the stories shared by officers of Tra Co Border Post, we know that her family's situation is very special. Her father passed away early when she was only 3 years old. In 2018, her mother also passed away due to a serious illness. Lan Anh and her sister had to move to live with their grandmother in Nam Tho area, Tra Co ward.

Recalling the early days of taking care of the two sisters, Lieutenant Colonel Le Van Tuan, Political Commissar of Tra Co Border Post, said: When the teachers of Tra Co Secondary School shared about the family situation as well as the efforts and attempts of Vi Thi Lan Anh in life and study, in May 2020, the Post Command agreed to take care of her regularly until she finished grade 12, with a support level of 500,000 VND/month. To help the children have a stable place to live, the Post also mobilized resources to support 20 million VND and working days of officers and soldiers, coordinated with Tra Co ward authorities to organize house repairs and give essential items to the family.

Almost 3 years have passed, Vi Thi Lan Anh has grown up in the love of her "fathers" wearing green military uniforms. Despite her difficult circumstances, over the years she has always tried her best, been a good student, and studied well. Standing next to the solid house that was built with support, she shared: "After my parents passed away, there were times when my sister and I felt insecure and thought about dropping out of school, but thanks to the support of the Border Guards, I have now integrated with my friends and am more confident about the future ahead."

Major Bui Van Dong, an officer of the Hoanh Mo Border Guard Station, came to Tran Tien Hung's house to help him study.

There are many similar situations in the mountainous border district of Binh Lieu. Accompanied by officers from the Hoanh Mo Border Guard Station, we visited the family of Tran Tien Hung in Pac Poc village, Hoanh Mo commune. Hung is currently a 5th grader at Hoanh Mo Primary School and is one of more than a dozen children regularly sponsored by the Hoanh Mo Border Guard Station under the program "Helping children go to school - Adopted children of the Border Guard Station".

Major Bui Van Dong, who was assigned by the unit's command to directly take care of Hung, said: Hung's family has 4 siblings. Hung's parents do not have stable jobs, their income mainly depends on the State's support policy for poor households, so life is extremely difficult. Understanding Hung's family situation, in September 2019, Hoanh Mo Border Guard Station made a file to take care of Hung under the "Adopted child of the Border Guard Station" model with a support level of 500,000 VND/month to cover living and study expenses.

Meeting us, Tran Tien Hung quietly said: “My family is very poor, uncle. My parents do not earn enough to cover daily expenses. My four siblings and I lack everything when going to school. This year 2019, luckily I was adopted by the border guards, and now I have enough school supplies.”

Sitting next to him, Major Dong boasted: Hung used to be shy and very reluctant to communicate with strangers. To help him become more confident in communication, the unit's officers and soldiers regularly took him to the unit to take care of him, creating conditions for him to participate in activities, study, practice disciplined living habits, behavioral skills, communication, and practice martial arts to improve his health. The kindness and closeness of the "foster fathers" helped him become more and more confident in communication and progress in all aspects. Last school year, he became a good student.

"Sweet fruit" from "green sprouts"

During her years in middle and high school, the young student Luu Minh Phuong (born in 2003, Hong Ha ward, Ha Long city) was always accompanied by the officers and soldiers of Squadron 2, Provincial Border Guard. The green-uniformed soldiers became fathers and foster brothers who constantly cared for, helped and encouraged her to overcome all difficulties in life so that she could overcome difficulties and excel in her studies. After years of hard work and cultivation, the "green shoots" on the province's coastal border bore "sweet fruit" when Phuong was officially admitted directly to the Military Medical Academy, continuing to fulfill her life's ambition and desire.

Luu Minh Phuong was born and raised in a poor family. When Phuong was in primary school, her father left to work abroad, her mother had no stable job and had to support her education, and Phuong's younger sister had a congenital heart disease. Despite trying everything, her mother still could not earn enough money to send Phuong and her sister to school and get medical treatment. When she was facing the risk of having to drop out of school to stay home and help her mother, luck came to her. At the beginning of the 6th grade, Phuong was regularly sponsored by officers and soldiers at Squadron 2 (Provincial Border Guard) until the end of grade 12 under the program "Helping you go to school" with a monthly support of 500,000 VND. From then on, Phuong's path to school was wide open.

Lieutenant Nguyen Huyen Tram, administrative control officer, Deputy Secretary of the 2nd Squadron, who has been with Phuong throughout her high school years, recalls: “When I was adopted, the leaders of the Party Committee, the Command Board, and the officers and soldiers of the unit all paid special attention to Phuong, treating her like a child of the unit. Therefore, every time we had work in the area or took advantage of our free time on the weekend, we would visit and learn about her study situation.

In response to the affection of the Border Guard officers, throughout her junior and senior high school years, Phuong always strived to achieve the title of excellent student. In 2022, with the encouragement and guidance of the teachers of Ha Long High School for the Gifted and the soldiers of Squadron 2, Phuong registered for the exam and was admitted to the Hanoi Military Medical Academy. From here, the door to the future opened wider for her. It helped her have the opportunity and conditions to develop herself, live a useful life, and contribute to society; at the same time, repaying the teachers' kindness, as well as not disappointing the expectations of the Border Guard officers.

Phuong confided: For me, studying and training in a military school has been a dream throughout my high school years. Since I was sponsored by the officers of Squadron 2 under the model "Helping you go to school", I have cherished the dream of growing up to wear the uniform of a soldier so that I can help those with difficult lives like me. It is from that thought that has motivated me to constantly strive in studying, training and achieving the results I have today.

Witnessing the growth of students in difficult circumstances has motivated the green-uniformed soldiers to continue to pay more attention and expand the program and model in the future. Lieutenant Colonel Pham Hong Tuyen, Political Commissar of Squadron 2, shared: Every year, 100% of officers and soldiers voluntarily contribute 1 day's basic salary to build the "Helping children go to school" fund to join hands to help students in difficult circumstances have the opportunity to go to school. Thanks to the help and encouragement of Squadron 2, many poor students have overcome difficulties and risen up, including one who passed the entrance exam to the University of Science and Technology, one who passed the entrance exam to the Military Medical University...

Gratitude to compatriots in the border area

The program “Helping children go to school - Adopted children of border guards” has been launched by the Provincial Border Guard Command for many years. The goal of this program is to share difficulties with students in border areas, help students with difficult conditions go to school, contribute to improving people's knowledge, strengthen solidarity between border guards and people, contribute to building a strong people's border defense, and protect national border security and sovereignty .

Leaders of Van Gia Port Border Guard Station presented gifts to students in the programs "Helping children go to school" and "Adopted children of the border guard station". (Photo provided by the unit).

Colonel Le Xuan Men, Political Commissar of the Provincial Border Guard, said: The unit is assigned the task of managing and protecting two land and sea borders of more than 300km; managing the area of ​​82 communes, wards and border towns, belonging to 10 districts, towns and cities in the province... Carrying out the assigned tasks, in the past time, officers and soldiers of the Quang Ninh Border Guard have always received the support and love of the people in the border areas. In the midst of countless difficulties and shortages, the people in the border areas still stand shoulder to shoulder with the soldiers in green uniforms to firmly protect the border. However, due to the complex terrain conditions, separated by rivers, mountains, seas and islands, along with the limited awareness of a part of the people, going to class and school for children in the border and island areas faces many obstacles. Realizing that, in recent times, the Border Guard of Quang Ninh province has had many specific programs and actions to help ethnic minority children go to school, improve their knowledge; help people develop socio-economically, including the program "Helping children go to school - Adopted children of border guards".

Accordingly, the provincial Border Guard has directed border posts to proactively coordinate with local Party committees, authorities, and organizations in border localities to review and select students with especially difficult circumstances, families with meritorious services, prestigious people, and people actively participating in border protection with difficult circumstances to sponsor. After nearly 10 years of implementing the program, Quang Ninh Border Guard has regularly sponsored over 100 students with difficult circumstances with a total budget of over 3 billion VND. Currently, Quang Ninh Border Guard is continuing to regularly sponsor 87 students with a support level of 500,000 VND/child/month.

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/bdbp-quang-ninh-uom-mam-ben-vung-bien-cuong-3248922.html