'The giant tree' in Ke Me village

This is demonstrated through stories about the exemplary spirit and practical work of the veteran "old age, high ambition" in Ke Me village.

Understanding "Party's will - People's heart"

We went to Ke Me when the raw material road to the Cha Loong production area was being urgently accelerated. According to the head of Ke Me village: The land clearance for this road was greatly contributed by the skillful mass mobilization work of veteran Luong Van Mai.

Quá trình triển khai thi công tuyến đường dài hơn 2 km, rộng 5m đã có 10 hộ tự nguyện hiến đất, 4 hộ hiến 400-500 cây keo thành phẩm để mở đường nguyên liệu. Đợt 1 đã làm được khoảng 1,3 km.

Cựu chiến binh Lương Văn Mại (ngoài cùng bên trái) cùng lãnh đạo MTTQ xã và cán bộ thôn, bản đi kiểm tra việc thi công tuyến đường nguyên liệu vào khu sản xuất Chà Loong. Ảnh: K.L

Ấy thế nhưng, gần 3 năm trôi qua, việc thông tuyến vẫn bị ách tắc (khoảng gần 700m) do 1 hộ dân không chịu bàn giao mặt bằng. Mặc dù chính quyền xã và thôn, bản đã nhiều lần thành lập đoàn đến tuyên truyền, vận động, nhưng chủ hộ vẫn nhất quyết không đồng thuận. Nhờ sự kiên trì và tiếng nói uy tín của ông Lương Văn Mại, nay hộ dân này đã chấp nhận bàn giao mặt bằng.

“Khi bác Mại báo tin là người dân đã đồng ý, chúng tôi rất phấn khởi, mặc dù hôm đó trúng vào ngày nghỉ cuối tuần nhưng Ban Quản lý bản vội thông báo với chính quyền xã huy động máy múc xuống làm luôn, đích thân đồng chí Chủ tịch UBND xã cùng với cán bộ thôn đến hiện trường chỉ đạo triển khai”, Trưởng bản Kẻ Mẻ Lê Viết Dũng, sinh năm 1991 vui vẻ cho hay.

Cựu chiến binh Lương Văn Mại - người uy tín ở bản Kẻ Mẻ, xã Mậu Đức vui mừng vì tuyến đường vào khu sản xuất sắp sửa được hoàn thành. Ảnh: K.L

Được biết, trước đây tuyến đường nguyên liệu vào khu sản xuất Cha Loong gập ghềnh lầy lội, đi lại khó khăn, ảnh hưởng đến tình hình sản xuất, tiêu thụ keo của người dân các bản Kẻ Mẻ, Kẻ Sùng, Kẻ Trằng. Các gia đình có ruộng rẫy và trang trại ở phía trong mỗi khi thu hoạch phải vận chuyển bằng xe bò lốp men theo khe Cha Loong rất khó khăn, nhất là vào mùa mưa, nay tuyến đường sắp hoàn thành người dân ai nấy đều phấn khởi bởi mong muốn của bà con bao năm qua đang dần được hiện thực hóa.

Cùng chúng tôi đi thăm con đường đang được san ủi, mở rộng, người uy tín bản Kẻ Mẻ Lương Văn Mại đã 73 tuổi nhưng tác phong nhanh nhẹn, hoạt bát, hồn hậu nói “Bác Hồ đã dạy rồi “khó vạn lần dân liệu cũng xong! Có những việc phải kiên trì, dùng tấm chân tình mà phân tích có lý, có tình, cuối cùng người dân cũng hiểu ra và đồng thuận thôi”.

CCB Lương văn Mại (thứ hai trái sang) trao đổi với cán bộ MTTQ xã và cán bộ bản về kinh nghiệm "dân vận khéo". Ảnh: K.L

Kẻ Mẻ là bản dân tộc Thái đặc biệt khó khăn, nằm ở cuối xã Mậu Đức, với 218 hộ, 950 nhân khẩu, trong đó, có 102 hộ nghèo. Người dân chủ yếu sản xuất nông, lâm nghiệp, với cây trồng chủ lực là keo và sắn, đời sống còn nhiều khó khăn, nên việc thực hiện các phong trào thi đua ở địa phương không phải lúc nào cũng thuận lợi. Bởi vậy, người uy tín như cựu chiến binh Lương Văn Mại đóng vai trò là sợi dây kết nối quan trọng “ý Đảng với lòng Dân”tạo sự đồng thuận, gắn kết trong cộng đồng.

For example, during the implementation of the asphalt road connecting Mau Duc - Thach Ngan commune, with his prestige, he actively accompanied the Party Committee, government and organizations in the village, mobilizing people to donate land and trees to clear the land. He himself voluntarily donated 200 m² đất sản xuất để làm gương. Nhờ đó, người dân đồng tình ủng hộ, làm theo.

Currently, Ke Me village has cleared 1,000m of model rural road, waiting for cement to arrive for implementation. Of which, 30 households along both sides of the roads have been successfully mobilized to donate land and trees to widen the road.

Veteran Luong Van Mai (center) is trusted and respected by the people because he always "matches his words with his actions". Photo: KL

“Many times when village officials speak, the people do not understand, but when a prestigious person like Mr. Mai speaks, the people listen and believe. At a young age, I was given the responsibility of being the village leader, so I could not avoid the pressure. Fortunately, with the help of prestigious people like Mr. Mai, who passed on their experiences, I was able to promptly resolve the problems that arose in the village.

On this occasion, the village is renovating and upgrading the community cultural house worth 359 million VND. With Mr. Mai in the Community Supervision Board and the Village Management Board, people feel more secure" - Head of Ke Me village Le Viet Dung said.

"Talk and do"

In a funny story over a pot of green tea in a small, simple but cozy house, veteran Luong Van Mai briefly shared: To be a prestigious person, "words must go hand in hand with actions!" And during the decades of "carrying prison", he has always been a "bright torch" for the villagers to follow. As a soldier of Uncle Ho who participated in the battle in battlefield B, in 1982, veteran Luong Van Mai was discharged from the army and returned to his hometown. Only 1 month later, he was assigned to be the Secretary of the Mau Duc Commune Youth Union, then returned to work as the Secretary of the Ke Me Party Cell for more than ten years, and has been a prestigious person in the village until now.

Veteran Luong Van Mai and his wife - prestigious people of Ke Me village. Photo: KL

Being attached to and understanding the lives as well as the thoughts and aspirations of the people, with his experience, veteran Luong Van Mai not only propagates and mobilizes people to preserve cultural identity, eliminate backward customs, build a civilized lifestyle, but also helps the Party Cell and the Village Management Board to do a good job of mediation and maintain community solidarity. Whenever there are incidents in the village or hamlet that require mediation teams and prestigious people to get involved, he is enthusiastic and does not hesitate.

He also has a lot of experience in resolving conflicts in a gentle, reasonable and emotional way. For example, a household in the village accidentally caused a fire to spread to the acacia plantation of a neighboring household while harvesting acacia trees and preparing the land for a new crop. The damaged household demanded compensation, but the two sides could not agree on a solution, so they appealed to the village management board.

Faced with that reality, the Party cell secretary, the village chief and Mr. Luong Van Mai went to the scene to examine. Mr. Mai also had the initiative to split bamboo strips and tie them to each acacia tree that was on fire to count the number of trees to avoid confusion, assess the extent of damage, then invite 2 households to come to reconcile, and propose a support plan based on neighborly love. "This incident is also brought up as a lesson for the people in the village because if the fire catches, it will easily cause a large-scale forest fire" - Party cell secretary Lu Van Bon expressed.

Concerned by the difficult life of Ke Me people, the high poverty rate, veteran Luong Van Mai always stands side by side with the Party cell and the Village Management Board to persistently encourage people to overcome the mindset of waiting and relying, to change their thinking and working habits to gradually rise up to eliminate hunger and reduce poverty. Although he is old, he still grows 4 hectares of acacia mixed with cassava, raises buffalo, cows, pigs, chickens, ducks and geese to increase his income.

As a prestigious person in the village, veteran Luong Van Mai is always worried because the lives of Ke Me people still face many difficulties. Photo: KL

Sharing his experience in "skillful mass mobilization", Mr. Mai expressed: To convince people, one must promptly grasp the Party's policies and the State's laws, set an example in complying with all village and local regulations, and pay attention to supporting the disadvantaged and those in especially difficult circumstances.

"Mr. Mai is not just talking, for many years his family has taken care of Mrs. Lo Thi Linh, an elderly and homeless person in the village", Chairman of the Fatherland Front of Mau Duc commune Ha Thi Linh continued.

It is known that Mrs. Lo Thi Linh is 96 years old this year, has no children, her husband passed away 8 years ago, and lives on a small monthly social allowance.

For many years, veteran Luong Van Mai has been taking care of Lo Thi Linh, a lonely elderly woman in Ke Me village. Photo: KL

Faced with the old man's difficult circumstances, Mr. Luong Van Mai and his family took care of Mr. Linh like their own mother. From providing food and clothing to visiting him when the weather changed. On every holiday, his family supported him with rice, vegetables, firewood, pork, and banh chung.

When we expressed our intention to visit Mr. Linh, veteran Luong Van Mai happily led the way. As soon as he heard his voice from the gate, Mr. Linh from inside the house asked loudly: "Mai is here again!". Then he slowly went to the door to welcome us and happily boasted to us: "That's my adopted son! Thanks to Mai's family and the care of the villagers, my old age is less lonely."

Mau Duc Commune Fatherland Front cadre, Party cell secretary, Ke Me village chief and veteran Luong Van Mai visited Lo Thi Linh. Photo: KL

Leaving Ke Me, we brought with us the belief that this Thai village, one of the most difficult and second most difficult in Mau Duc commune, would have improvements thanks to the contributions of prestigious people trusted by the Party and respected by the people, such as veteran Luong Van Mai./.