Photo: laocai.gov.vn
After Qua hamlet in Lao Cai province’s Bat Xat district was made a focal commune to receive support for new rural development in 2012, local Youth Union members spared no effort in supporting the local implementation of the national rural development program. They took part in many activities, from helping local poor households and building roads, to planting forests and repairing war martyrs’ cemeteries. Nguyen Tien Anh, Secretary of Qua hamlet’s Youth Union, said: "After 3 years implementing the national rural development program, local Youth Union members understand what they can do to aid this effort. They often volunteer and spare no effort in explaining and encouraging local people to contribute to national rural development. Our commune has achieved 17 out of the rural development program’s 19 criteria."
Truong Hong Trang, secretary of Bac Lieu’s provincial Youth Union, said the campaign “Young people join hands to contribute to national new rural development” has achieved significant results over the past 3 years. Young people have played an increasingly important role in local socioeconomic development. Trang said: "We consider upgrading local infrastructure our key effort to boost local rural development. We’ve also succeeded in persuading businesses to equip local cultural houses with computers. With computers, local farmers can access the internet and find useful information for their farming and production activities."
Youth Union members nationwide have done a great job in response to the campaign to encourage youth’s participation in new rural development. They have built a total of 11,000 km of new rural roads, nearly 3000 cultural houses, and more than 5000 humanitarian centers. They have also helped 30,000 young rural laborers obtain preferential loans for production and find jobs. Phan Thi Phuc, secretary of the Kim Long communal Youth Union in Chau Duc district, Ba Ria Vung Tau province, said: "We really hope that the government and central agencies will help us transfer advanced technologies to local young people to boost local production and help them improve their skills and find better jobs in their communities."
Nguyen Anh Tuan, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee, said: "Rural economic development is a key task and is of great importance to ensure sustainable rural development. Once we have better rural economic development, we can continue to invest in upgrading the local infrastructure, improving education, and generating more jobs for local young people in their communities."