Ethic people are happy with a bumper harvest (photo: binhphuoc.gov.vn)

Visiting Thuan Loi commune, we see day by day changes in this land. Vast rubber tree forests are in harvest season. We travel on paved roads, passing newly built schools and spacious houses. Vo Trong Khang, Chairman of Thuan Loi commune’s People’s Committee took us to Thuan Tan hamlet on a wide lane. Khang said in recent years, the lives of the S’Tieng, Tay, Nung, and Khmer ethnic people have been improved as the price of rubber has risen and the people have adopted new varieties of plants and animals. Households in Thuan Tan have become better-off, many of them have built multi-storey buildings and bought trucks and cars. Khang said: “The lives of the ethnic minority people have improved remarkably. From make-shift houses, they have built concrete and spacious homes and bought expensive vehicles. They have applied scientific and technical knowledge to production and adopted high-yield plants and animals.”

Thuan Loi commune houses 15 ethnic minority groups, consisting of over 2,400 households totaling nearly 14,000 people. Due to the large area and poor land, the commune remained deserted far a long period, with numerous unexploded ordnance left behind from the war up until 1990. Thanks to the people’s hard work, fields covered with wild grass have now been converted into gardens. The Dong Phu district’s Agricultural Office and Farmers' Association have helped the people to apply scientific knowledge to production and husbandry. Better-off families are encouraged to assist poorer households to escape poverty. Last year, 50 households broke out of poverty and over 200 households earned a yearly average of 15,000 to 40,000 USD. The yearly average income per capita was 700 USD. Le Duy Hien, Chairman of Thuan Loi commune’s Farmers Association, says: “The Farmers Association has always stayed close to the farmers while collaborating with functional agencies and scientists to transfer scientific techniques to farmers so that they can apply them to production. People’s living conditions have been improved and the poverty rate has been reduced significantly.”

Military doctor offers medical check-up for ethnic people (photo: binhphuoc.gov.vn)

People in Thuan Loi commune have actively implemented the new rural areas program. They donated thousands of square meters of land to build roads. They also contributed money to make the 8km power grid worth 150,000 USD to bring light to hundreds of households in Thuan Tien hamlet. Nong Thi Ranh is a Nung ethnic woman in Thuan Tan hamlet. “My family donated 1,000 square meters of land to make roads and 360 square meters to build a charity house. We have lent other households 6,000 USD to reduce poverty. We want to assist them to have decent lives.”

Many effective production models in the Thuan Loi commune have been replicated across the district such as in raising crocodiles, snakes, bees, and chickens. Rubber and cashew nut processing companies have generated stable jobs for hundreds of local workers. The people’s unity and hardworking spirit have built a new life in the former revolutionary land. 

 

Thanh Trung