"Lighting a fire" in the far west of the country (1)

Part I: Correct policy - warms the border

Located in the most difficult border districts in the country: Muong Cha, Nam Po, Muong Nhe (Dien Bien province), Muong Te (Lai Chau province), in recent years, Economic-Defense Group 379 has contributed to changing the appearance of the communes and villages in the highlands and border areas; people's lives are increasingly prosperous and fulfilled. To achieve such results, in addition to the efforts of the officers and soldiers, there is a significant contribution from the "new vitality" named TTTTN team members from the Project "Strengthening TTTTN to work in economic-defense zones" (abbreviated as Project 174) .

The policy of "Strengthening the implementation of information technology in economic and defense zones" is highly appreciated by the Party Committee, government and people.

A Decade of Lighting Up the Far West

Building economic-defense zones is a major policy of the Party and State, with the goal of socio-economic development associated with strengthening national defense and security in strategic areas, remote areas, border areas, seas and islands. To promote the construction and development of economic-defense zones , on January 29, 2010, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 174/QD-TTg approving the Project "Enhancing young intellectuals' volunteering to work in economic-defense zones in the period 2010 - 2020" (referred to as Project 174) to promote the vanguard role of young intellectuals in participating in the cause of economic and social development, hunger eradication and poverty reduction, and building a solid position of people's hearts in border areas.

Colonel Nguyen Van Huan, Political Commissar of Economic-Defense Group 379 shared: To implement Project 174, the Party Committee of the Group has issued a specialized resolution to lead the implementation; at the same time, it is determined that this is an important political task, requiring focused direction , implementation , organization and implementation in a tight, synchronous and comprehensive manner . Directing the Project Management Board (PMB) 174 to regularly coordinate closely with the Provincial Youth Union , District Youth Union and districts in the project area to do a good job in selecting, managing, using, assigning work, creating all conditions and a favorable environment for the Youth Union members to promote their pioneering role, effectively participating in the implementation of the goals and tasks of the Economic-Defense Zone.

Over the past 10 years, the Youth Union has received 5 training sessions with more than 240 members, most of whom are children of ethnic minorities in Dien Bien province and districts in the project area. This is a young, high-quality human resource with suitable industry and career structure, strong moral qualities and political will, meeting the requirements of tasks at the grassroots level.

TTTTN team members help people increase production and harvest crops.

Immediately after receiving the team, the Youth Union's Project Management Board 174 proactively ensured accommodation and living conditions for the Youth Union members and organized the signing of responsibility contracts according to regulations; developed plans, organized training courses on expertise and national defense and security knowledge; mobilized the masses and knowledge about ethnic groups and religions; built politics at the grassroots level. In particular, the organization launched a movement to learn the Mong ethnic language and compete to learn about the customs and practices of ethnic minorities in the project area. Therefore , the Youth Union members quickly got into the rhythm of work, closely integrated, and actively "sticked together 3 times, worked together 4 times" with the people.

10 years is a long journey, the "imprint" of the TTTTN team members has been imprinted on every house, road, economic development model, preserving the cultural identity of ethnic groups... The tireless footsteps accompanying "Uncle Ho's soldiers" are still every day, every hour crossing mountains, through forests with the officers and soldiers of Economic-Defense Group 379 to transform difficult lands in the far West of the Fatherland.

If before 2010, localities in the project area faced many difficulties in terms of transportation, irrigation, social security, high poverty rate... then by 2020, 100% of communes had electricity, car roads to the commune center; over 70% of households had access to clean water; 85% of households no longer had dilapidated temporary houses. By the end of 2019, the average income per capita reached 23.15 million VND/year, 3.25 times higher than in 2010; the rate of poor and near-poor households decreased sharply over the years, an average decrease of 3-5%/year. The economic structure continued to shift in a positive direction, forming a number of specialized agricultural and industrial crop areas such as: Rubber, macadamia... many ethnic minority households have successfully applied the model of digging ponds to raise fish, planting and caring for high-value industrial crops and fruit trees.

These "impressive" numbers have clearly demonstrated that Project 174 of the Party, State and Army is a correct policy - warming the hearts of the border.

Members of the Youth Union, Production and Construction Team No. 7 help people plant trees.

To let the project "penetrate" into people's lives

From the effectiveness of the Project "Enhancing young intellectual volunteers to work in defense economic zones in the period 2010 - 2020" (Project 174), the Government recently issued Decision No. 1529/QD-TTg approving the implementation content of the Project "Enhancing young intellectual volunteers to work in defense economic zones" until the end of 2030.

“With enthusiasm, responsibility, and commitment to the grassroots, the TTTTN team has truly left an impression on the hearts of the ethnic people here. The young people have actively gone deep, close to the grassroots, using the knowledge they have learned to build models of fruit gardens, livestock and poultry farms in difficult villages, remote areas, and border areas for people to learn and follow . So I think it is very necessary to continue implementing the project ” - Mr. Vu Bao Trung, Chairman of the People's Committee of Quang Lam commune shared.

Group 379 carries out its mission in Muong Cha Economic-Defense Zone, Dien Bien province, a mountainous border area in the northwest of the country. The Group is stationed and carries out its mission in 264 villages, 28 communes, in 4 districts (Muong Cha, Muong Nhe, Nam Po, Dien Bien province; Muong Te, Lai Chau province ) . Implementing the first phase of the 2021-2030 period, Group 379 receives and manages 32 TTTTN team members ( including 30 new recruitment profiles; 2 team member profiles from the 5th phase , transitional period 2010 - 2020 ); team members are ethnic minorities in Dien Bien province, accounting for 62.5% . The places where young people come and work are difficult, border areas; where people still face many difficulties on the journey of hunger eradication and poverty reduction. But with the spirit of youth, that hardship becomes the motivation for you to contribute with the spirit of joining hands for the community.

TTTTN team members learn knowledge to guide people in economic development.

Lieutenant Colonel Luu Luong Bang, Deputy Head of the 379th Military Economic Group, Head of Project Management Board 174, shared: The project "Enhancing young intellectual volunteers to work in defense economic zones" until the end of 2030 has been highly appreciated by local Party committees and authorities in the project area. Because young people have been bringing new and creative ways of doing things in the project areas, especially helping people to eliminate hunger, reduce poverty, improve people's knowledge and living standards through meaningful models, programs and jobs. In addition, the coordination and implementation of the project has been closely implemented; demonstrating the spirit of solidarity, attachment and high consensus between the Party committees, authorities and people with the 379th Military Economic Group. Thereby, creating a favorable environment for young intellectual volunteers to train, mature and contribute knowledge to the highlands and border areas.

It can be affirmed that the effective implementation of Project 174 has brought a "new wind" from economic development models, maintaining security and order, creating a solid foundation for communes and villages in the project area to effectively carry out the work of hunger eradication and poverty reduction, building a solid people's position; contributing to building the westernmost borderland of the Fatherland to be increasingly politically stable, economically rich, and strong in national defense and security.

Part II: Desire to contribute youth

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