Phong Dien Town War Veterans strive to overcome difficulties and escape poverty. Photo: Hue City War Veterans Association

I had the opportunity to visit the home of veteran Nguyen Nhu Duan in Phong Hoa ward, Phong Dien town, an example of the spirit of overcoming difficulties, daring to think, daring to do.

In 1987, after fulfilling his international duty in Laos, Mr. Duan returned to his hometown and started working in production. Initially, with more than 3 sao of his family's rice fields, he borrowed money from friends to buy a tractor, combining farming and raising livestock. However, his income was only enough to cover his daily life. Realizing the potential from the local people's demand for Tet flowers and flowers for offerings, he boldly changed direction. With a loan of 70 million VND from the town's Social Policy Bank, he invested in growing flowers, gradually expanding the scale of production. Up to now, his family cultivates nearly 2 hectares of land including rice fields and flower gardens, bringing in a stable income of about 150 million VND per year.

Veteran Nguyen Nhu Duan is one of the typical examples in the movement "Veterans help each other to do business" of the Phong Dien Town Veterans Association. According to Mr. Ho Quang Hien, Chairman of the Town Veterans Association, the town currently has 1,522 members who are of working age and past working age but still able to work. With the motto "not willing to fall behind economically", the Town Veterans Association actively mobilizes and supports members to participate in local socio-economic development programs and projects...

In order to support members with capital, the Phong Dien Town Veterans Association has established savings and loan groups in wards and communes. Up to now, 1,330 veteran households have accessed loans with a total outstanding debt of more than 55 billion VND, creating conditions for members to invest in economic development. The "Comradeship Fund" with an amount of more than 2 billion VND was also established by the Town Veterans Association for members to borrow at low interest rates or without interest to develop the economy. Many veterans actively borrow capital, learn, and apply science to production and business, bringing in good income for themselves and their families. Currently, the whole association has 225 members with an income of about 150 million VND/year from agriculture and livestock; 288 members participate in business, small-scale industry, and services with an income of about 200 million VND/year.

“Thanks to the efforts to strive, the Phong Dien Town Veterans Association has eliminated 10 poor households and 7 near-poor households. Currently, the percentage of well-off and rich households accounts for 64.46%, and the average households account for 34.88%,” informed Mr. Ho Quang Hien.

In addition to focusing on economic development, the Phong Dien Town Veterans Association also actively responded to the movement to build new rural areas and civilized urban areas. Many members voluntarily dismantled architectural materials, cut down trees, harvested crops, donated land, contributed money, and labor days to expand roads and infrastructure works... In total, members of the Phong Dien Town Veterans Association donated more than 80,600 square meters of land, contributed more than 500 million VND, and more than 2,300 labor days to build new rural areas.

Along with socio-economic development activities, the Phong Dien Town Veterans Association focuses on building a strong association organization. In the period of 2019 - 2024, the Town Veterans Association established 7 more village branches, bringing the total number of branches to 135/137 villages, hamlets, and residential groups with Veterans Association branches.

“The results achieved are a testament to the dynamism, pioneering spirit, and sense of responsibility of the members of the Phong Dien Town Veterans Association. We will continue to promote the spirit of solidarity and innovation, mobilize members to exploit the local economic potential, and at the same time promote social security activities, contributing to building an increasingly prosperous homeland,” said Mr. Ho Quang Hien.

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