Follow Uncle Ho with specific, practical actions

“18+1” model - supporting poor women in economic development

The weather in Nghe An in May is as hot as fire. Following the Women's Union staff of Nghi Dong commune (Nghi Loc), we visited the family of Ms. Nguyen Thi Khuong, in hamlet 6 - a poor household with extremely difficult circumstances, often sick. Welcoming us in the old, hot level 4 house that her grandparents lent her to live in, the woman born in 1986, with a small, thin, and miserable figure, holding a dark child with sunburned hair, shared: She and her husband have 3 children, of which the eldest daughter is in 4th grade, and the youngest is only 21 months old and has a hemangioma.

Both the paternal and maternal families are poor. Both husband and wife do not have stable jobs. Every day, the husband works as a construction worker or a hired hand to earn a living. As for Ms. Khuong, her health is poor, so in addition to taking care of 2 sao of rice, every morning when it is still dark, she takes advantage of the time to go to the fields to catch eels, loach, and shrimp to sell to people around the village. On a low day, she earns a few tens of thousands, on a high day, she earns 70,000 - 80,000 VND. Life is difficult and miserable all year round.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Khuong - Hamlet 6, Nghi Dong Commune is the first household to receive breeding cows from the "18+1" model. Photo: KL

Sharing Ms. Khuong's situation, on March 8, 2020, through the launch of the "18+1" model, the Women's Union of Nghi Dong commune presented her family with a breeding cow worth 15 million VND. Ms. Khuong emotionally shared: "This is the greatest asset my family has, and also the motivation for us to rise out of poverty. My husband and I are very grateful for the sharing and help of the Women's Union...".

Regarding the name "18+1", Ms. Dang Thi Lien - President of the Women's Union of Nghi Dong commune explained: "The full name of the model is "18+1, supporting women in economic development and sustainable poverty escape", meaning 18 women help 1 woman escape poverty. In the immediate future, the Executive Committee of the Women's Union of the commune and some heads of the Women's Unions of hamlets in the area will take the lead in implementing it, then expanding it throughout the commune. This is a model of "following" Uncle Ho that is both practical and suitable for local conditions.

In addition to supporting funding for buying breeding cows through the "18+1" model, the Women's Union of Nghi Dong commune also implemented many effective models such as: "Rice Saving Jar", Women's Group helping each other escape poverty, eliminating poverty with addresses... In 2019 alone, the whole commune saved 675 million VND, supported 17 women in difficult circumstances with 26.5 million VND to buy breeding cows to develop the economy, created conditions for 23 women to borrow capital to develop the family economy... Thereby, creating cohesion, sharing love, "the rich help the poor", helping each other to rise up in life, not leaving any sister behind".

Multiplying "pink bricks"

In Phuc Tho commune, one of the most mentioned models of following Uncle Ho is the "Pink Bricks" movement launched by the Commune Farmers' Association and maintained effectively from 2016 to the present. The family of Mr. Nguyen Dinh Chin and Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan in Hamlet 5 is one of the poor households that received bricks to build their houses. Mr. Chin recalls that it was a time when his family was in extremely difficult circumstances.

From a famous carpenter, there were always 14-15 workers in the workshop, due to a serious accident, although he was treated at all hospitals from central to local, Mr. Chin still had to stay in bed for 5 years, then he was able to move around but the severe consequences made him unable to do heavy work. All the savings were gone, his wife had to take care of her husband while working alone to sell seafood to raise her children and take care of her elderly mother. The old level 4 house was degraded but there were no conditions to repair it.

In 2018, from the “Pink Bricks” movement, his family received 15 million VND from the district farmers’ association to buy bricks to build a house. Fortunately, with additional support from relatives and friends, he and his wife were able to build a spacious flat-roofed house. “Our family will never forget that love and sharing,” Mr. Chin confided.

The "Pink Bricks" movement launched by the Farmers' Association of Phuc Tho commune has created a widespread influence in the community. Photo: KL

Like Mr. Chin, Ms. Truong Thi Duong's family in Hamlet 5, due to difficult family circumstances (her husband passed away, she was raising 2 small children alone), was supported with 2 batches of bricks, with a total amount of nearly 20 million VND to build a sturdy 2-room, 3-room house and repair the brick yard in front of the house. This act of kindness has helped Ms. Duong and her 3 children have more confidence and motivation to improve in life.

"Originating from the idea of ​​"a pink brick against the freezing winter" during the years when Uncle Ho was wandering around looking for a way to save the country, living and working in Europe, the Commune Farmers' Association Executive Committee presented to the Standing Party Committee to launch the "Pink Bricks" movement, concretized by Resolution No. 02. Thereby, calling on cadres, farmer members, organizations, collectives, individuals in the area, and children living far from home to save money, support bricks to help poor members' families repair and rebuild their houses, and stabilize their lives."

Mr. Nguyen Dinh Cuong - Chairman of Farmers' Association of Phuc Tho commune

Up to now, the "Pink Bricks" movement of the Farmers' Association of Phuc Tho commune has received more than 146 million VND, supporting dozens of members in difficult circumstances, each case from 15 - 20 million VND to buy bricks... A few small things make a big difference, each brick not only helps poor farmers' association members build and renovate their houses but also contributes to completing the criteria for building new rural areas in the locality".

Support religious hamlets to build cultural institutions

As for cadres, party members, civil servants and public employees of agencies in Nghi Loc district, in addition to choosing jobs suitable to their assigned positions, responsibilities and tasks, for many years now, they have practiced saving personal expenses to support hamlets in special areas to build and renovate cultural institutions. This movement, initiated by the Party Committee of the District Party Committee in 2017, has been maintained effectively for 12 consecutive years.

Many writers' houses in Nghi Dong commune, Nghi Loc were built spaciously. Photo: Documentary

According to the Deputy Head of the Propaganda Department of Nghi Loc District Party Committee, Nguyen Canh Thi: "The amount of money each person contributes is only about 50,000 VND/month, but together it becomes a considerable amount of money to do very meaningful work. In particular, the support for building grassroots cultural institutions by the Party Committee of the District Party Committee has created a positive effect and widespread spread, creating a bond between the people and the Party.

Seeing the practical effectiveness of this model, in 2018, the District Party Committee assigned the Propaganda Department to coordinate with functional agencies to review cultural institutions at cultural houses in villages, hamlets, and blocks in communes and towns. On that basis, the District Party Committee issued Plan No. 118 - KH/HU to direct party committees and party cells under the agency block to mobilize cadres, party members, civil servants, and public employees to save personal expenses to help build cultural institutions in 47 hamlets facing difficulties in the district.

In 2019, the Standing Committee of Nghi Loc District Party Committee continued to assign the District Party Committee's Propaganda Department to coordinate with the District Labor Federation to develop a plan and mobilize all cadres, workers, civil servants, and laborers to save personal expenses to support the construction of cultural institutions for disadvantaged hamlets, in which priority is given to hamlets in communes registered to reach the new rural destination. Up to now, support resources have been allocated to 23 disadvantaged hamlets of 9 communes registered to reach the new rural destination in 2019 with a total support amount of 260 million VND to purchase grassroots cultural institutions to serve the community activities of the people.

The cultural house of hamlet 3, Nghi Phuong commune, Nghi Loc was built spaciously with full cultural facilities. Photo: KL

As in hamlet 3, Nghi Phuong commune (with 216 households, 826 people), the hamlet cultural house is located on an area of ​​about 2,000 m², has a concrete stage, a soccer field, a volleyball court, and a wide, airy road in front with rows of fluttering national flags. According to the hamlet officials, to have the current facilities, in addition to mobilizing the people, the hamlet also received support from the District Party Committee and district organizations and unions to purchase equipment inside the cultural house such as speakers, backdrops, etc.

“The support from the Party Committee and branches at all levels, although not large in material terms, is a source of encouragement and support for the grassroots, demonstrating the affection, responsibility and sharing of each cadre and party member towards the community,” said Mr. Ngo Van Vinh - Secretary of the Party Cell of Hamlet 3, Nghi Phuong Commune. Not only Hamlet 3 but also 4 parishioners’ hamlets (before the merger, there were 9 hamlets) in Nghi Phuong Commune were supported with cultural facilities such as loudspeakers, tables and chairs, backdrops, tiles, construction costs for campuses, embankments, gates... with a total amount of more than 136 million VND.

Party officials of Nghi Thuan and Nghi Loc communes discussed with officials of Binh Thuan hamlet about using the cultural house after the merger. Photo: KL

Similarly, in Nghi Thuan commune, the Cultural House of hamlets 3 and 4 (now merged with hamlet 2 to form Binh Thuan hamlet) was built in 2004 and has been degraded. In 2019, the Party cell, executive committee and people of the hamlets were extremely happy when the district People's Committee, district police and commune authorities invested and supported nearly 100 million VND to renovate the cultural house, embankment, and volleyball court to serve community activities. Thanks to those practical actions, the solidarity and attachment of the Catholic and non-Catholic people, of the Party committees and authorities at all levels with the people are increasingly closer. People unite and join hands to build new rural areas.

The clean, airy streets with national flags hanging on them are a model being replicated in Nghi Loc. Photo: KL

It can be said that Uncle Ho's teaching "whatever is beneficial to the people must be done" has been concretized and widely spread by Party committees, affiliated Party cells, agencies, units, political and social organizations through practical models and actions. In addition to the above-mentioned models, there are other typical models such as the "Lighting up the Countryside Roads" model in Nghi Van and Nghi Van communes; the "Traffic Safety School Gate" model in Nghi Long, Nghi Dien and Phuc Tho communes; the model of taking care of foster children by the District Youth Union; the model of Party flagpole and national flag route in Nghi Long, Nghi Hung and Nghi Tien communes and Quan Hanh town. In particular, the model of "Saving to improve the quality of life and support poor women" in the form of raising piggy banks, saving rice jars... of the District Women's Union is one of 16 collectives commended by the Standing Committee of Nghe An Provincial Party Committee as typical collectives studying and following Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and style in 2020.

Every cadre, party member and citizen in Nghi Loc district has been contributing to building their homeland to develop more and more. Photo courtesy

May is coming, commemorating Uncle Ho's birthday is also an opportunity for each cadre, party member and citizen in Nghi Loc district to reflect on themselves, self-cultivate and practice; follow Uncle Ho's example, "practice what you preach", complete assigned tasks well, and contribute to building an increasingly innovative and developed homeland.