When my father was a population collaborator

(Baonghean) -Mom called to say that Dad had just "taken office" as a village population collaborator. He was a "home-cooked meal" and a "companion" at the village level. Mom complained that he was old and should rest to regain his health. What's the point of "meddling in other people's business all day long...", but Dad had "decided to do it". Mom had to ask her children to intervene.

Calling my father, he explained: "Our village is poor because of backward concepts, having too many children, so we can't escape the vicious cycle. I work as a collaborator to propagate to the people around us to know how to plan, to know how to stop at two children like our family, we know better than them, to advise them on using contraceptives, and to take care of reproductive health. That's also a good thing, a good thing. Let me do it...".

So my father became a village population collaborator. He made a list of couples of childbearing age, couples at risk of "breaking the plan", then met with them. Sometimes in the fields, on the beach, sometimes over a pot of green tea, advising them, analyzing for them to understand. Fortunately, the "authority" of the old teacher was respected and listened to by many people. My father was very happy.

During the campaign season, my father and the district and commune population officers were busy providing consultations, distributing condoms, leaflets, birth control pills... Many farmers, at first shy, pouting, "Who would use that monkey stuff?", but after getting used to it, they all came to my father for advice.

My father contributed the 50,000 VND in monthly allowances he received, and at the end of the year, he used it as a bonus for households that implemented family planning well. Seeing his eyes sparkle with joy when the third child birth rate in the village decreased significantly last year, I understood that the work of population collaborators like him was truly meaningful...

Nam Phuong