Give them the "rod" and teach them how to "fish".
(Baonghean) - For a long time, whenever we talk about poverty eradication, we keep repeating the saying, "Give them a fishing rod, not a string of fish." This has been considered the guiding principle and consistent viewpoint in helping and supporting the poor to rise out of poverty.
That's a very good and correct viewpoint! Because, in recent years, as the national economy has improved, the Party and State have implemented many national policies and programs to support the poor. Thanks to these efforts, many poor people have strived to overcome poverty and enrich themselves, their families, and society. Our achievements in poverty eradication have been recognized worldwide. However, there is a segment of the poor who have a mindset of waiting and relying on state support, and have not truly strived to escape poverty. Therefore, in the immediate future, it is even more necessary to strictly and thoroughly apply the aforementioned principles and viewpoints.
"The 'fishing rod' of course refers to the policies, programs, and preferential mechanisms specifically for poor households and individuals. And it's important to note that once the poor are given a 'fishing rod,' they must be given dedicated assistance, meticulously guided and instructed on everything from how to 'bait' the 'fishing technique,' the 'fishing location,' and the 'fishing season' suitable for each 'type of fish,' so that they can 'catch' fish to eat instead of just having the fish brought to them. This requires helpers to be truly skilled, knowledgeable, and dedicated, with the necessary time and patience to help the poor. So who are they? First and foremost, they are the people assigned the task and responsibility of helping the poor escape poverty."
Next, it's up to the local Party committees, government, and mass organizations. Everyone must join hands and contribute to helping and supporting the poor. Especially the cadres and Party members in each village and hamlet, because they are the closest, understand best, and have the most complete grasp of the reality and causes of poverty. They must "go to every house, search every alley" to thoroughly and accurately understand why people are poor. After clearly identifying the causes, they must understand people's aspirations and what they want to do to escape poverty. But it's not about helping them according to their wishes; they must take the time to consider whether their desires are compatible with their own abilities, education, and the surrounding natural, social, and market conditions.
If it's suitable, then fine; if not, advise and consult them, and together they can choose the most appropriate option. Once they've made a choice, then we can start considering support measures. If they prefer livestock farming or crop cultivation, we can provide technical support, suitable plant and animal breeds. If they prefer small-scale trading, we can help with capital, managing income and expenses, inputs and outputs, and calculating profits and losses. If they want to change careers, we can support them with vocational training and initial capital to start a new business. In short, we must base our support plans on the specific needs of each individual and each poor household. Even that's not all; we must also spend time monitoring and supervising how they carry out these tasks, correcting any mistakes promptly. If they unfortunately encounter setbacks, we must encourage and motivate them not to give up, but to persevere and start over.
To accomplish all of this, the best approach is to have grassroots Party organizations or Party members mentor a poor household, with a few Party members and well-off households supporting each other through hands-on guidance. Simultaneously, they should always stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the poor household, encouraging them to improve their lives through their own labor. Some localities have accelerated poverty reduction using this method. If, after being given the "fishing rod" and instructed on "how to fish," the poor still refuse to work hard to improve their lives, then the "fishing rod" should be transformed into a "whip" or "stick" to force them to strive harder. Support and assistance should be combined with propaganda and mobilization to cultivate the will to improve the lives of the poor, but for those who are dependent and stubbornly refuse to change, firm measures must also be taken. Politics must go hand-in-hand with military action to be effective.
In short, to help the poor escape poverty sustainably, the approach should remain the same: giving them a "fishing rod" and guiding them on "how to fish," rather than giving them a string of fish. The poor and impoverished households should take the "fishing rod" provided by the State and use it to catch their own "fish." Only then will people feel truly secure, confident in investing, and expanding their production scale. This will shorten the path to poverty for the poor and make it more sustainable, utilizing their own inherent abilities.
Duy Huong
