This is Hon Chuoi Island, belonging to Song Doc Town, Tran Van Thoi District (Ca Mau), nearly 32 km west of the mainland, with an area of about 7 km2 . Currently, on the island there is only 1 self-governing group of people with more than 40 households and 130 people. People make a living mainly by raising cobia in cages, catching seafood and small-scale trading.
People build houses clinging to the cliffs of Hon Chuoi. Every year, people here move their houses twice because of the monsoon.
Previously, Hon Chuoi was known as the "5 no" island: no electricity, no roads, no schools, no stations and no clean water. Day by day, the residents' lives have improved, there is solar power, water tanks...; but one thing has not changed: the harsh climate. There are two distinct wind seasons here: the northeast wind season (dry season) starts from November to April of the following year, so around October, residents move from Ganh Chuong to Ganh Nam; and the southwest wind season (rainy season) starts from June to September, so around May, residents move to Ganh Chuong.
The islanders are both residents and "island lords". Ms. Nguyen Thi Thom (80 years old, from Cai Doi Vam, Phu Tan District, Ca Mau) has lived on Hon Chuoi for 50 years, recalling: "When I first came to the island, the country was not unified yet, there were only a few houses, people lived on the hills, cut down trees, made temporary roofs and planted beans, sugarcane, jackfruit, bananas... When harvesting, they loaded the farming tools onto a small boat, brought them to shore to sell, then from the shore we bought rice to bring back. It was very hard, lacking everything. Now it's better".
Delegates of the working group took souvenir photos with students at Hon Chuoi.
Mrs. Thom has 6 children, 4 on the island, and 2 have gone ashore. When asked if she intends to return to shore, she said: "No, life is fine now."
Having lived on Hon Chuoi Island for nearly 30 years, Mr. Le Van Phuong, head of the self-governing group, told the story of the past when fresh water was scarce on the island, and residents struggled to carry cans of water waiting for fresh water to flow out of the cave... He said: "Now that there is a water source, the economy is somewhat stable."
Mr. Phuong is currently the head of the cooperative of Hon Chuoi island, and together with the residents, raises cobia in cages. After harvesting, the fish will be brought to Song Doc town and then transported to Ho Chi Minh City or neighboring provinces for sale.
He assessed that cage fish farming helps people earn high profits, but now it also faces many difficulties in terms of fish seed sources, food prices, etc. "Previously, the cooperative had 12 members, now there are only 8 members. I hope the government will invest and support Hon Chuoi residents more. Moreover, it can support projects for young people to start businesses in the island area. This is a youth island!", he shared.
When asked if he ever felt the island was too difficult and wanted to go ashore, Mr. Phuong shook his head: "I have a basic house here. It's quiet here, and security is good. People are used to moving from one place to another. In the past, every time they moved, they had to build a new house. Now everyone has two houses."
When asked what Mr. Phuong wished for the island, he immediately said that he wanted his children and grandchildren to have a good life and career. "They will know the sea and islands, and see the blue sky. To do that, we must be determined to build the youth island according to the original direction," he said.
There are children on Hon Chuoi Island, but there is no school system for them to study. The ladder road through the forest leads up to the hill where Radar Station 615 is located. On the way, before reaching the radar station, I saw a charity class of the Hon Chuoi Border Guard Station. People said that I had climbed more than 300 steps. Every day, the children on the island, from grades 1 to 7, climb steep slopes to school like that. When asked "where do you study, who is your teacher?", they immediately answered: "Mr. Phuc's charity class".
Mr. Tran Binh Phuc 14 years teaching charity class
This charity class in Hon Chuoi has been recognized as a school in the education system of Song Doc town.
Little boy Nguyen Tan Luc innocently told stories about how fun it was to go to school, especially arriving early every morning to meet his friends and wait for his teacher to come to class. Meanwhile, Nguyen Thi Tuyet Nhi, a 7th grader, proudly said that she has been studying with teacher Phuc since she was little.
Major Tran Binh Phuc, Deputy Captain of the Mass Mobilization Team of Hon Chuoi Border Guard Station, who has been teaching for 14 years, said: "When I first came to the island, I saw that the children were not educated, did not know how to read or write. I asked the leaders to let me teach them for about a month, if not, then that was it. In the end, I have been with the class until now."
In 14 years, Mr. Phuc was called to transfer jobs many times but he always asked to stay. When asked about the biggest reason why he persisted in teaching, Mr. Phuc said: "Just two words: love. The children are so deprived, no matter where I work, it's the same, I ask you to let me work here. I'm used to teaching, I love the children, and the people also love me with special affection."
The teacher in the green uniform was also very proud when he said that the generations who have studied at Hon Chuoi so far, some have graduated from university, gone to work, and especially, up to now, no Hon Chuoi student has fallen into social evils. But teacher Phuc was also very modest: "Here there is a class with many levels. Speaking of teaching, at first I taught randomly, I had never stood on the podium holding a piece of chalk, so when I received the assignment, every night I just talked to myself, gradually practicing. I also prepared lesson plans, learned from mainland teachers, then researched, tried to teach the class so that the students understood the most basic knowledge so that when they continued studying on the mainland they would not be disappointed."
"During the teaching process, did you encounter any difficulties?", I asked. Teacher Phuc said: "There are many difficulties, related to family, life, and circumstances. But I am a soldier, I know how to overcome difficulties to arrange things properly and complete the task. For me, teaching is a duty, a political responsibility. And the two words "duty" when placed on the shoulders of a soldier are very sacred. I wish to stay here until retirement, if I have the conditions, I would like to build a house here."
"Does your family support what you do?", I asked again. Mr. Phuc replied: "My wife is a pharmacist, I have two children, the older one is in college, the younger one is in kindergarten, when I go home to visit, the younger one is very attached, when I return to the island I have to go secretly. My wife and children are used to me being away a lot, I often call home."
( to be continued)
The Ho Chi Minh City delegation also visited and presented gifts to poor households and military units stationed on Hon Chuoi Island such as Radar Station 615 (Regiment 551), Border Guard Station 704, lighthouse station... People on the island said that the relationship between the army and the people is like fish and water, the units helped clean up around the island, and helped people transport their belongings when moving.
Captain Phung Sy Chuong, Head of Radar Station 615, said that the unit is maintaining two mass mobilization models: "Each unit is associated with a charity address" and the "Drop of love" model. In 2022 and the first 9 months of 2023, it has supported disadvantaged families with more than 400 kg of rice and 50 m3 of fresh water.
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