Ethnic minorities in Quang Nam province share a belief in community cohesion.

Highland people are fostering a spirit of unity and building a new, increasingly civilized life. Photo: ALĂNG NGƯỚC

According to Mr. Alang Mai, Head of the Provincial Ethnic Affairs Committee, the mountainous region of Quang Nam, with its advantage of being a long-standing cohabitation area of ​​ethnic minorities such as the Co Tu, Co, Gie Trieng, and Xo Dang, and a population of over 330,400 people, forms a solid "fortress" that binds the community together throughout the journey of building and developing the western part of Quang Nam province.

“In particular, people in mountainous areas have a very strong sense of community and always trust in the leadership of the Party. Throughout the resistance war for independence, the people in mountainous areas contributed manpower and resources, sheltered the soldiers, and became a solid base for the revolution. All thanks to the spirit of solidarity of the people of all ethnic groups, for the ideals and goals of the Party and President Ho Chi Minh,” Mr. Alang Mai shared.

Upholding traditions

Elder Y Kông, former Chairman of the People's Committee of Đông Giang District, recounted that after the Cơ Tu people migrated from the highlands to the lowlands, many left their villages to return to their old homes due to unfamiliarity with the new life. Knowing this, the village elders in the lowland communes tried to encourage, support, and create conditions to help them stay. This began with sharing their fields, which were in the harvest season, to help the new residents feel secure in their new lives.

In Dong Giang, many community facilities are built on land donated by villagers. Photo: ALANG NGUOC

“Some Co Tu villages in Ba commune, Song Kon district, agreed to move to lower areas to live. Their houses and fields were also given up. But after a few years, an epidemic broke out, and many people, out of fear, decided to leave and return to their old villages.”

"Having grasped the situation, the village reported it to the commune, which then reported it to the district. I and some district leaders went directly to the villages to encourage the people to stay. With the added support of the local community in neighboring villages, we were able to keep the highland residents here until now," recalled elder Y Kông.

Building on the tradition of close-knit relationships, after more than 30 years of living together, the younger generation of the Co Tu people in Dong Giang always cherishes the feelings and mutual support of their ancestors.

To avoid unnecessary conflicts in life, many villages organize fraternal ties, treating each other like family, especially by cultivating the same land.

In recent years, with the implementation of the village merger policy, the bonds of community have been further nurtured, strengthened, and promoted, fostering a sense of neighborly solidarity.

Women in Hamlet 3 (Tra Linh Commune, Nam Tra My District) help each other escape poverty by using ginseng seedlings. Photo: ALANG NGUOC

Mr. Do Huu Tung, Vice Chairman of the Dong Giang District People's Committee, said that the locality has 23 ethnic groups living together, with the Co Tu people accounting for the majority, at over 73%. For many years, the ethnic minority people of the district have always promoted the spirit of solidarity, striving together to develop the economy , stabilize social order, and build a new, peaceful life.

According to Mr. Tung, in recent years, the locality has been implementing the construction of community resettlement sites in accordance with the province's general policy and has received the support of many households.

Driven by a spirit of sharing, they voluntarily donated land and crops for the local government to level and arrange for resettlement, along with measures to prevent and mitigate natural disasters, storms, and floods.

"In particular, many households living in this village have agreed to donate land to other villages to implement community projects. Thanks to this, many projects have been quickly built, meeting the needs and aspirations of the local community," Mr. Tung shared.

Helping each other escape poverty

The bonds within highland communities are gradually spreading, creating motivation to help each other improve their lives and rise out of poverty. In Tra Linh commune (Nam Tra My district), this journey of connection is clearly demonstrated by the heartwarming stories of the mountain residents.

After more than 3 years of implementing the "Ngoc Linh Ginseng Garden Fundraising Model to Help Poor Women," the Women's Association of Hamlet 3 (Tra Linh Commune) has created new livelihoods for dozens of women through the donation of Ngoc Linh ginseng seedlings. This model is being replicated in other hamlets, with the participation of almost all ginseng-growing households in Hamlet 3.

The model of donating ginseng seedlings to disadvantaged households is being replicated and spread among the Xê Đăng ethnic minority communities in Nam Trà My. Photo: ALĂNG NGƯỚC

According to Ms. Ho Thi Hien, head of the Women's Association in Hamlet 3, after a period of implementation, the model was officially launched recently and received more than 500 one-year-old Ngoc Linh ginseng seedlings (worth approximately 135 million VND), creating livelihoods for 7 female members who have recently separated from their families and are facing difficult circumstances.

"Hopefully, the fundraising model using Ngoc Linh ginseng will be effective and help women escape poverty in the near future," Ms. Hien expressed.

Mr. Ho Van Dang, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Tra Linh commune, said that in addition to the women's model, there are many other models of mutual assistance using ginseng in the commune, such as the "Ginseng Garden Solidarity" group of young people with the participation of 44 ginseng-growing households; or the "Giving Ginseng Seedlings" model on occasions such as birthdays, weddings, and the New Year...

The effectiveness of these models has helped to rapidly increase the area of ​​Ngoc Linh ginseng cultivation in the commune in recent years, creating conditions to support the community in escaping poverty.

"With a spirit of solidarity, well-off ginseng farmers are always willing to help and create opportunities for people in difficult circumstances to do business and develop their economy. In recent years, these meaningful models have been maintained and are increasingly spreading, giving the poor a chance to get rich through the joint efforts of the local community," Mr. Dang said.

The average poverty reduction rate for ethnic minority households reached 6.6% per year.

On September 10th, the Provincial Ethnic Affairs Committee announced that, in implementing the Sustainable Poverty Reduction Program, Quang Nam province has prioritized allocating funds to implement policies supporting production, job creation, income increase, and infrastructure investment, which have initially yielded positive results.

Accordingly, using these resources, Quang Nam supported employment for ethnic minority workers, helping the percentage of trained workers reach 51.4%, exceeding the set target. At the same time, it supported 396 people to work abroad; and eliminated temporary housing for 2,183 disadvantaged households…

As a result, the average poverty reduction rate among ethnic minority households reached 6.6% per year (the target was 5%); and the average per capita income in ethnic minority and mountainous areas increased from 16 million VND (in 2019) to 24 million VND (in 2023).

DANG NGUYEN

Mobilizing 1,737 billion VND for investment in infrastructure development in mountainous areas.

Over the five years (2019-2024) of implementing the National Target Program on New Rural Development, Quang Nam province mobilized 1,737 billion VND to invest in the construction of mountainous infrastructure.

Of this amount, the provincial budget contributed approximately 1,169 billion VND, aiming to synchronize rural infrastructure and gradually improve the income and living conditions of the people. By the end of 2023, 34 out of 93 communes in the 9 mountainous districts had met the new rural standards (reaching a rate of 36.5%). It is expected that an additional 4 communes will meet the new rural standards in 2024, creating momentum to promote socio-economic development and ensure national defense and security...

DANG NGOC

The rate of ethnic minority people participating in health insurance reached 100%.

With resources from the central and provincial governments, Quang Nam province has now built a system of health stations in all 70 communes in ethnic minority areas, of which 52 health stations meet the national standards.

Accordingly, the healthcare network in ethnic minority and mountainous areas has been increasingly expanded and improved; infrastructure and the qualifications of medical staff have been gradually enhanced, and healthcare facilities have improved in scale and quality. To date, in addition to supporting access to improved healthcare services, 100% of ethnic minorities in the province participate in health insurance.

AN

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/cac-dan-toc-thieu-so-o-quang-nam-trong-niem-tin-co-ket-cong-dong-3140888.html