eMagazine

'Border light' in Nghe An border village

Khanh Ly • DNUM_ACZAJZCACE 06:29

“Border light” is the name of the civil work that has been installed by Nghe An Border Guard units in the province's border villages, contributing to ensuring security and order, improving the spiritual life of the people, and strengthening the military-civilian relationship to firmly protect the territorial sovereignty and national border security.

The village is lit up with electricity.

Welcoming the National Day on September 2 this year, the Mong people in Pha Lom and Huoi Son - two border villages in Tam Hop commune (Tuong Duong) are happier because from now on every night the central roads of the villages will be lit up with solar energy, making it convenient for traveling and organizing community activities.

Talking to us, Mr. Xong Ba Giay - Secretary of the Pha Lom village Party cell happily said: Mong people often go to the fields when it is still foggy and only go down the mountain to go home when it is dark. Traveling on the roads is still difficult, especially on days with bad weather.

Now, with the support of Tam Hop Border Guard Station for the model of “Border Light”, the village roads are lit up with solar energy systems, making it easier for people to travel, children have a safe place to play at night, and the village’s appearance has changed completely. The villagers are excited and thank the Border Guard very much!

“

"The villagers are very excited to receive support from Tam Hop Border Guard Station to light up the village roads with a solar lighting system...".

Mr. Xong Ba Giay - Secretary of Pha Lom village Party cell, Tam Hop commune

Tam Hop is a commune with 25,724 km of border adjacent to Laos. The commune has 5 villages, 530 households, 2,452 people of 5 ethnic groups: Mong, Tay Poong, Thai, Kho Mu and Kinh living together; socio-economic difficulties still exist; the poverty rate is still high.

To ensure 3 peace (peace for people, peace for the area, peace for the border), in recent years, Tam Hop Border Guard Station has worked with the local Party Committee and authorities to deploy many new models and good practices to help people develop the economy, stabilize their lives, and ensure security and order. Among them is the model "Border Light".

Major Ha Huy Thien - Deputy Political Commissar of Tam Hop Border Guard Station said: The station mobilized officers and soldiers to contribute working days to directly install 2.5 km of lighting lines with 80 solar-powered light bulbs to light up the entire main road in the two border villages of Pha Lom and Huoi Son, worth 200 million VND, supported by the station from organizations and benefactors.

Similarly, in the border commune of Nam Can (Ky Son), before, every time night fell, the road from the Border Guard Station to the commune center and schools was plunged into darkness, making it very difficult for people to travel, and organizing community activities was therefore less exciting. In 2023, Nam Can Border Guard Station and organizations and benefactors supported the installation of 30 solar lamp posts, worth more than 45 million VND, along the commune's roads.

Ms. Vu Y Chia - a resident of Nam Can village, Nam Can commune said: "Since the solar lights have been installed to light up the roads, it has been more convenient for people to travel at night, and community cultural activities have also become more vibrant."

The village wears a "new coat"

This Fall, traveling on the route from National Highway 16 to Yen Hoa and Xang Tren villages in My Ly commune (Ky Son) at night, you will see the solar lighting system lit up, bringing a new look to the village.

These are two areas far from the commune center, with rugged terrain and difficult roads, so having lights to illuminate the roads at night is like a "dream come true" for the people.

Lieutenant Colonel Hoang The Tai - Political Commissar of My Ly Border Guard Station shared: In May 2024, the Station mobilized organizations and benefactors to contribute funds; at the same time, mobilized working days of officers, soldiers of the unit and local people to install 5 km of solar-powered lighting with 50 light poles combined with hanging national flags to light up the entire main road from National Highway 16 to the Station and Yen Hoa and Xang Tren villages. The total value of the project is about 100 million VND.

“The Border Guard’s support for installing solar lighting systems on roads leading to villages is a creative and practical way to improve the cultural and spiritual life of the people, creating a new look for the village. Our locality hopes to have more “Border Light” projects in the villages to facilitate people’s travel and contribute to ensuring security and order in the area,” said Mr. Luong Van Bay, Chairman of the People’s Committee of My Ly Commune.

Nghe An has 11 mountainous districts and towns (6 border districts) with 252 mountainous communes and towns. Of these, there are 107 communes and 1,188 extremely disadvantaged villages and hamlets, 27 of which are bordering Laos.

Some remote areas have difficult terrain, so transporting materials to implement the "Border Light" model is extremely difficult.

A typical example is Mong Muong Long village - a village located precariously on the mountainside in Tri Le commune (Que Phong). From the commune center, to get to this village, one must cross a unique road of nearly 30 km along the rugged, slippery, winding mountainside, requiring the motorbike driver to be a "hard" driver, familiar with mountain roads.

However, from May to August 2024, Tri Le Border Guard Station coordinated with philanthropists to install 20 street lights along the central road of Muong Long village.

The project was inaugurated by the Border Guard Station, Tri Le Commune authorities and sponsors on August 20, along with the launching ceremony of the "Border Medicine Cabinet" model and the handover of 9 wells to primary schools, kindergartens and border working groups in the area.

According to Lieutenant Colonel Ho Thanh Quang - Political Commissar of Tri Le Border Post, in order to transport materials to implement the "Border Light" model in Muong Long village, officers and soldiers of the Post had to apply many methods. Accordingly, after welding, the lamp posts were gathered at the Forest Ranger Station and then sent to the construction vehicle to gradually transport the power grid; the lamps and batteries were transported by motorbike by officers and soldiers.

In addition to the solar lighting system in Muong Long village, Tri Le Border Guard Station also installed 20 lighting poles on the road from the Station to the commune center. To complete the project, the Station mobilized officers and soldiers to support labor days to erect poles and pull wires, and at the same time, selected people with mechanical skills, who know how to use welding and cutting machines to install the lamp post system to ensure aesthetics and sustainability. On each lamp post is attached the national flag...

Some Border Guard Stations have cleverly combined the model of "Border lighting" with building a "Bright - green - clean - beautiful" unit; such as at Phuc Son Border Guard Station (Anh Son), from the mobilized funding, the unit has deployed the installation of 100 columns and light bulbs throughout the campus, the road leading to the unit and in Phuc Son commune with a length of more than 1.5 km, total value of 290 million VND.

According to Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Ngoc Cam - Deputy Chief of Politics (Nghe An Border Guard): The project "Border Light" is one of the "Clever Civil Service" models with practical significance for difficult areas.

Currently, 9 Border Guard Stations have deployed this model. Thereby, it not only helps ethnic minorities improve their quality of life, but also contributes to ensuring security and order; strengthening the military-civilian relationship, promoting the combined strength to firmly protect territorial sovereignty and national border security.