The story of escaping poverty in Nghi Thu 1 ward.

Continue writing the goal

Prior to the administrative boundary merger on July 1, 2025, Nghi Thu ward (Cua Lo town) was known as a "bright spot" in social welfare work, especially the model of officials contributing their salaries to help people escape poverty. After that milestone, this spirit continues to be preserved and promoted.

This year, for the first time in their lives, sisters Nguyen Thi Toan (born in 1968) and Nguyen Thi Huong (born in 1972) from Nghi Thu 1 block, ward...Cua LoThey were able to celebrate a warm and cozy Lunar New Year in their new, spacious home. The house was small but well-maintained. Thanks to the encouragement and support from the community, that happiness came sooner, allowing the two frail women to enjoy the joy of having a stable home in their twilight years.

Ms. Toan and Ms. Huong are two sisters who never married. They live together, relying on each other in a dilapidated house inherited from their ancestors. According to neighbors, the house could be crushed in one storm. Adding to their plight, Ms. Huong suffers from a severe disability, rendering her unable to work or care for herself. Despite her age, Ms. Toan still tries to work as a domestic helper to earn extra money to support the family.

Given the circumstances of the two women, in early 2025, the Fatherland Front and the neighborhood committee (at that time Block 1, Nghi Thu Ward) connected with Agribank's Cua Lo branch to provide 50 million VND to help them rebuild their house. Simultaneously, neighbors in the block contributed labor, and relatives joined hands to provide additional funding. With this collective effort, the two women's new house was quickly completed, and they were removed from the list of near-poor households.

Previously, Mr. Phung Ba Minh's family – one of the two near-poor households in the block – also received 20 million VND in support from the local government to develop a cattle fattening model. The model has brought about significant changes, contributing to improving the family's life and helping Mr. Minh's family escape poverty. By the end of 2025, Nghi Thu 1 block will become the first block in Cua Lo ward with no poor or near-poor households.

The success of Nghi Thu 1 is the result of a well-planned and scientific strategy. Mr. Hoang Minh Dong, Secretary of the Nghi Thu 1 Party Committee, shared: "The determination to eliminate poverty and near-poverty in our area was initiated by the leaders of the former Nghi Thu ward in 2024. This goal was implemented through various methods, with decisive action, and by the end of 2024, our block officially eliminated poverty and only had 2 near-poverty households remaining. By 2025, the goal of eliminating near-poverty households continued to be focused on by the block's leadership and the people, despite this being a year of many changes and fluctuations. By the end of 2025, our block had achieved the set goal.”

The inner strength of each individual citizen

Located in the heart of Cua Lo ward's tourism hub, Nghi Thu 1 block possesses ideal conditions for economic development and improving the lives of its residents. Leveraging over 600 meters of coastline, a convenient transportation network, and a bustling network of nearly 60 accommodation establishments, the Party Committee and the Block's Steering Committee not only focus on administrative management but also closely monitor the circumstances of each household to offer livelihood solutions.

“We lead the people not only with words but also with concrete actions, mobilizing the people to unite, expand production scale, and invest in infrastructure serving tourism. By staying close to the people, we understand their difficulties and obstacles and find ways to overcome them. Thanks to the unity between the Party committee and the people, the business situation has improved year by year, the percentage of well-off and wealthy households currently accounts for about 78%, and the average per capita income reaches 120 million VND/year,” shared Mr. Hoang Minh Dong, Secretary of the Nghi Thu 1 Block Party Branch.

A prime example of this spirit is the seafood and clam farming business model of Ms. Le Thi Phuong. With an investment of hundreds of millions of dong, over the past 10 years, her business has not only been a reputable supplier of seafood to large restaurants but has also brought her family into the ranks of well-off households and created jobs for people in the area.

Sharing her entrepreneurial journey, Ms. Phuong said: “My husband and I both came here from elsewhere, and we felt a connection with the land and the people, so we decided to choose this place as our home and build our family. And that was a wise decision. Here, we have kind neighbors, caring and helpful neighborhood committees, business opportunities, and a rich spiritual life. If we had started our business in another place, I believe we wouldn't have achieved what we have today.”

Ms. Phuong's thoughts reflect the shared sentiments of many residents in Nghi Thu 1 block. This spirit has helped the residents work together to build a civilized and prosperous community. Currently, the block comprises 360 households operating a diverse economic sector ranging from tourism and trade to labor export and agriculture. This structural shift has transformed the appearance of Nghi Thu 1 block. Nghi Thu 1 is now filled with modern high-rise buildings, clean concrete roads, and vibrant flags during holidays and festivals…

Not only is Nghi Thu 1 block strong economically, but it is also a model of cultural and spiritual life. With a 97.5% rate of culturally exemplary families, arts and sports activities are always maintained as a daily rhythm of life. Despite being busy with business, the women always find time to practice and enthusiastically participate in every holiday and festival of the block and the ward, creating a strong sense of unity.

Mr. Nguyen Van Hung, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Cua Lo Ward, highly appreciated the comprehensive results achieved by Nghi Thu 1 residential area in the past period. "The residents of the area have won high prizes in the provincial-level folk dance competition with the theme of great unity. Not only outstanding in cultural and sports movements, Nghi Thu 1 residential area is also a shining example of economic development, increasing people's income, while maintaining security, order, and national defense in the area, contributing to building an increasingly civilized and prosperous residential area. We hope this spirit will spread and become a model for future generations."motivation"For other groups to strive for the same goal," Mr. Hung said.

The achievements of Nghi Thu 1 residential area are not only a significant milestone in social welfare work but also a model for socio-economic development in the community. With the efforts of each staff member and the inner strength of each resident, this area is gradually becoming "livable"—as the residents proudly describe it.