'Spring' in the 'flash flood area' in Ky Son

Warm and prosperous revival

Standing at the Huoi Giang stream junction in Hoa Son village, Ta Ca commune, Ky Son highland district - the epicenter of the flood years ago, now the nooks and crannies of the rocky land are green with flowers, leaves, and vegetables. The production area of ​​Mr. La Tuan Ba's family is located right next to the Huoi Giang stream. "Before the flood, there were no signs like this here", just opening the door to visit the farm, Secretary of the Hoa Son village Party Cell Mac Van Ky introduced the neatly hung sign "Clean vegetable model: Mr. La Tuan Ba's family".

Having said that, Mr. Mac Van Ky pointed to the end of the new concrete road that was built in early 2024 and added: "From here to the end of the road, to the edge of the creek, there are many more models like this."

Happily welcoming us, Mr. La Tuan Ba ​​- former Secretary of the Party Committee of Ta Ca commune, retired, owner of the clean vegetable growing model, said: Sugarcane is the first crop I have tried. I sell everything I plant. In the hot season, there is not enough to sell.

The farm of Mr. La Tuan Ba, as well as dozens of other households, is what it is today, thanks to the days of persistently renovating the devastated land after the terrible flash flood in October 2022.

Mr. Ba continued: “At that time, my entire farm was buried by the flood, leaving almost nothing.” Pointing to the fish pond in front of him, Mr. Ba continued: the rocks and soil on the mountain at that time not only submerged the rice fields and vegetable fields, but the fish pond also turned into a pile of rocks and soil. It took nearly a year after the flash flood for the people of Hoa Son village to return to production. Another year later, the green color of the trees and fruits was as lush as today.

Mr. La Tuan Ba's property has now been restored with sugarcane fields generating an income of over 15 million VND per year. In addition, there is a herd of black pigs that is regularly maintained at 8-10, a herd of 15 cows, and there are also rice fields, vegetables, and seasonal produce... After only 2 years of being devastated by floods, for people living in the midst of natural disasters like Mr. Ba to have a property generating an income of 50 to over 100 million VND per year is a miracle, a testament to the revival. In that miraculous revival, there is not only the persistent rise of the people, but also the support and care of local authorities...

Leaving Mr. Ba's farm, walking along the new concrete road, turning through the terraced fields with all kinds of green winter vegetables, to reach the production area of ​​Ms. Vi Thi Viet's family. Ms. Viet is operating a mini tractor to prepare to plant the third crop of mustard greens this year. "After restoring the flooded fields, the State supported a tractor instead of using hoes and rakes to prepare the soil; so the productivity increased a lot, saving time and effort. This season, I am preparing to plant mustard greens, lettuce, beans, cucumbers and experimenting with sweet corn. Each season has enough to take care of life and children's education" - Ms. Vi Thi Viet happily said.

Like Ms. Viet, many households in the flood-hit Hoa Son area were supported by the State with tools, machinery, funding for installing water pipes, building fences to protect fields, barns, and supporting livestock to develop economic models and restore production after natural disasters. Mr. Vi Van Man - Vice Chairman of Ta Ca Commune People's Committee said that thanks to the State's support for households in the two villages affected by flash floods, along with the efforts of the people, agricultural production was quickly restored. In 2023, 7 households were supported with mini soil milling machines, many households received livestock and seedlings.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Truong - Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Ky Son district added that the support source of the National Target Programs for the people of Ta Ca commune from 2022 to 2024 is expected to be more than 1.3 billion VND, focusing on providing local cows and black pigs, which will provide more resources for people to overcome the disadvantages caused by natural disasters, soon create income sources, and improve their lives.

Building cultural life

After hours of working in the fields, farmers in the flood-hit areas of Ta Ca gather at the cultural house to practice folk songs and dances. Along with the rising spirit of efforts to restore production and stabilize life, ethnic minorities in Ta Ca commune are also optimistic about building a cultural life in residential areas.

As proof of that, in early 2024, the Ta Ca Commune Folk Song and Dance Club was established with more than 20 members. The "artists" of the club are mainly the sisters of the Farmers' Association and the Women's Association, "during the day holding hoes and plows, and at night gathering to sing. Enjoying performing arts, practicing music, and singing together, all the fatigue of making a living is dispelled, so that tomorrow they can be excited to go to the fields" as Ms. Vi Thi Man - Club Director confided.

Among the members participating in the practice, we paid special attention to the petite girl with a pretty face who always stood in the "model" position in the dances, especially the Lam Vong dance praising the solidarity between Vietnam and Laos.

Mr. Vi Van Cuong - Cultural officer of Ta Ca commune introduced that she was Ms. Su Ny, a girl from the Land of a Million Elephants, the daughter-in-law of Hoa Son village. People still call Su Ny Y Pung, the wife of Y Hoang (Vi Van Hoang) who has a house right in the center of the village.

Su Ny has both the charming beauty of a Lao girl and the cheerful and agile beauty of a Vietnamese girl who is hard-working, diligent, optimistic and loves life. As a daughter-in-law in Hoa Son village, Su Ny, like many other women in the village, works hard, overcomes difficulties and still maintains an optimistic spirit, believes in a beautiful spring, tries to work hard, takes care of the family and enthusiastically participates in mass movements, preserving the cultural identity of the village.

We have worked many times in areas affected by natural disasters and floods. Each time we return, there are changes. Whether in the flood epicenter of Hoa Son, Ta Ca commune of years ago, or in the flood epicenter of Luong Minh (highland district of Tuong Duong) that just happened in early October 2024, we all have common points, which are the solidarity of the community, the support of the authorities at all levels, and the optimism and efforts of the people themselves. These things have helped the authorities and people have more motivation to overcome difficulties, gradually erasing the traces of destruction caused by the fierce floods of years ago.