Khmer people in Vinh Chau - Warm Tet in new home

In 2024, the town was allocated capital by the Central Government to implement the National Target Program on Socio-Economic Development for Ethnic Minorities with over 51 billion VND, of which investment capital was over 28 billion VND and public capital was over 23 billion VND. The results included supporting residential land for 1 household, bringing the total number to 85 households; supporting 334 houses, bringing the total number to 764; supporting job conversion for 228 households, bringing the total number to 1,053 households; supporting dispersed domestic water for 97 households, bringing the total number to 304 households; investing in, renovating and upgrading 10 rural traffic works and 1 market. From the programs and projects, the socio-economic situation of the town's ethnic minority areas continues to develop. As a result, the poverty rate decreased from 3.82% to 3.35%, of which the poverty rate of ethnic minority households decreased from 4.21% to 3.52%. Thanks to the policies, the lives of many poor ethnic minority households are now more stable than before. Of these, the most meaningful is the policy of supporting housing construction, eliminating temporary and dilapidated houses for local people and supporting the diversification of livelihoods to help them "settle down and make a living".

Khmer ethnic family happy in new house, just in time to celebrate traditional Tet. Photo: QUYNH LIEN

In 2025, implementing the Program to eliminate temporary and dilapidated houses, the town has 2,262 households in need of housing support, of which 1,735 households will be newly built and 527 households will be repaired. The support value for each newly built house is 60 million VND, and for each repaired house is 30 million VND. As of the end of March 2025, a total of 1,236 houses have been newly built and repaired, and 1,002 houses have been completed and put into use; including 882 newly built houses and 120 repaired houses, the remaining 234 houses are being implemented to ensure progress according to the plan.

As a poor household in the locality, before receiving support to build a new house, the 4 members of Ms. Thach Sam Nach's family, residing in Ward 2, had to live in a cramped, dilapidated house. In early 2025, after being considered for support of 60 million VND to build a house, the couple borrowed more relatives and helped with the mortar work, so the house was completed at a cost of 80 million VND, with an area of ​​about ^40m2 , designed to maximize the space so it is fully functional for the family. The new house was completed before Chol Chnam Thmay 2025, which is a great source of encouragement for her family in the new year.

In the joy of celebrating the traditional New Year of the Khmer people, Ms. Son Thi Lich Thia, a resident of Vinh Phuoc ward, could not help but be moved. She said that she has a serious illness and has to go to Ho Chi Minh City every month for medical examination and medicine. Her husband works as a bricklayer in Ho Chi Minh City to send money back to take care of his wife and two children. Due to difficult family circumstances, when her family received support to build a house for poor ethnic minority households, they were very happy. The house of nearly 40 square ^meters was built spaciously, the result of the family's efforts and hard work, and is the motivation for them to continue to make more efforts in life.

Handing over houses under the Program to eliminate temporary and dilapidated houses. Photo: SONG LE

Comrade Tran Tri Van - Vice Chairman of Vinh Chau Town People's Committee said that the changes in people's real life show the clear effectiveness of policies for ethnic minority areas. Contributing to strengthening the great national unity bloc, creating position and strength for the locality towards sustainable development. In the process of implementing ethnic policies, the town always determines "taking people as the center, at the same time promoting the role of the entire political system and community" so that policies can be effectively implemented and meet practical needs. Thanks to that, people's lives, especially in areas with a large number of ethnic minorities, have truly changed.

The new, solid and spacious houses and effective livelihood models are the most vivid and emotional images, demonstrating the effectiveness of ethnic policies that have been and are being implemented in Vinh Chau town. With the current development momentum, along with the right investment attention, the ethnic minority area in Vinh Chau will continue to prosper, firmly on the journey of "settling down and making a living", contributing to the successful implementation of the goals set forth by the Resolution of the 12th Vinh Chau Town Party Congress.

SONG LE - QUYNH LIEN

Source: https://baosoctrang.org.vn/xa-hoi/202504/dong-bao-khmer-vinh-chau-tet-am-ap-trong-ngoi-nha-moi-a16375b/