Border guard 'fathers' in Nghe An

Thanh Chung• September 24, 2019 10:44

(Baonghean) - "Adopted children of border guards" is a new model deployed by the Nghe An Border Guard Command at the beginning of the 2019 - 2020 school year. Accordingly, many students with especially difficult circumstances living in border areas have been adopted and cared for by border guards at the station, creating the most favorable conditions for their studies to progress day by day.

Đồn Biên phòng Keng Đu nhận nuôi 2 con Lo Văn Diệu và Xeo Văn Điệp. Ảnh: Thành Chung.JPG

Keng Du Border Guard Station (Ky Son) adopted two children, Lo Van Dieu and Xeo Van Diep. Photo: Thanh Chung

Wings of Dreams

For the past half month, two boys in extremely pitiful circumstances, both born in 2008, in the westernmost and poorest commune of Ky Son district, Lo Van Dieu and Xeo Van Diep, have had new "fathers".

Lo Van Dieu's biological father died early, Dieu's mother remarried and went to work far away with her new husband, Dieu lived with her "grandfather" (her mother's second husband's father) in Huoi Phuon 1 village. Xeo Van Diep's father and mother went to work far away and have been missing for a long time, Diep lived with her elderly grandmother in Huoi Le village.

Compared to other children in the commune, Dieu and Diep are considered examples of overcoming difficulties and studying well. Lo Van Dieu won the Encouragement Prize for excellent students in grade 5 in Mathematics at the district level. After completing primary school, Dieu and Diep both wanted to continue their studies but their family circumstances did not allow it. Knowing the circumstances of the two children, officers and soldiers of Keng Du Border Guard Station, teachers and officers in the commune went to their homes to learn about their family circumstances, announced the policy of adopting children, and asked for the wishes of the children and their families... On September 5, Dieu and Diep officially became the adopted children of Keng Du Border Guard Station and were brought to the station to be raised.

Chiến sĩ Đồn Biên phòng Keng Đu theo dõi, kềm cặp

Soldiers of Keng Du Border Guard Station monitor and tutor "2 children" with their lessons. Photo: Thanh Chung

Captain Ha Huy Thanh - Political Commissar of Keng Du Border Guard Station said: "The two children were arranged suitable and thoughtful accommodation and living space, had their own study corner, and had necessary utensils and living facilities. The station assigned officers to directly sponsor, manage, tutor, guide, educate and take care of the two children..."

At Keng Du Border Guard Station, Dieu and Diep had a real family. The officers and soldiers of the Station took very good care of them, from meals, sleep to study guidance.

Lo Van Dieu happily said: “In the new house, my fathers love me very much. Here, I get to eat well, dress well and learn many good things.” The process of eating, living and doing activities with my fathers has helped my two children “change their skin”, learn personal hygiene, wash their own clothes and fold their blankets neatly like soldiers...

Bố nuôi bộ đội biên phòng Đồn Keng Đu trao đổi tình hình học tập của 2 con với thầy giáo ở trường. Ảnh: Thành Chung

The foster father of the Border Guard of Keng Du Station discussed the study situation of his two children with the teacher at school. Photo: Thanh Chung

The joy of Dieu and Diep is the common sentiment of many children adopted by border guards, including Gia Ba Thong, 9 years old, in Nhot Lot village, My Ly commune, Ky Son district. Thong's family is very poor, especially in difficult circumstances. This school year, if he had not been adopted by the station, he would have had to drop out of school and become the "main laborer" in the family with farming work and housework...

Thanks to the model of “Adopted child of the border guard station”, the life of Gia Ba Thong has changed in a different direction, more positive and better. At My Ly Border Guard Station, in addition to being taken care of carefully, Gia Ba Thong was also introduced to computers by the officers and soldiers.

At My Ly Border Guard Station, in addition to Thong, there is another child adopted, that is Kha Ngoc Chuyen, 10 years old, from Xop Tu village, studying in grade 5A at My Ly 1 Primary School. Currently, according to the family's wishes, as well as the geographical distance from home to school, Chuyen lives with his parents. Every month, the Station supports the child with 1 million VND in food; every week, officers and teachers are sent 3 times to help with his studies.

Strengthening solidarity in border areas

Các bố bộ đội ở Đồn Biên phòng Nậm Càn luôn quan tâm chăm sóc chu đáo cho con nuôi của mình. Ảnh: Đào Thọ

The soldier fathers at Nam Can Border Guard Station always take good care of their adopted children. Photo: Dao Tho

According to Captain Nguyen Xuan Son - Deputy Political Commissar of My Ly Border Guard Station: The "Adopted Children of Border Guard Station" model officially started to be implemented from August 2019. The adopted children are children aged 6-15 years old (children of younger age can be adopted but must be taken care of), ethnic minorities with especially difficult circumstances, orphans, children of martyrs, war invalids, policy families, families with especially difficult circumstances in the border area. Each border guard station, depending on the actual situation in the area, will adopt suitable "adopted children", from 2-3 children... With attentive care, the children will certainly have good health, have conditions to live, study, practice, become good children, good students, and in the future become useful people for society.

Information from the Nghe An Border Guard Command: Before the "Adopted Children of Border Guard Station" model, the Nghe An Border Guard effectively implemented the "Helping Children Go to School" Program. Specifically, the Command, departments, offices, and units have done a good job of propagating, receiving, and sponsoring 106 students. Of which, 20 children are from the border areas with the three provinces of Hua Phan, Bo Ly Kham Xay, and Xieng Khouang (Laos) with difficult circumstances and no one to rely on. Helping the children have better living and studying conditions has been recognized and highly appreciated by local authorities, sectors, and levels.

With the model of "Adopted children of border guards", the Border Guard Command, the Political Department, and the Nghe An Border Guard Command have given instructions and implemented it responsibly. In addition to the border guards directly adopting children, the heads of the command, departments, offices, and units that do not directly raise children can also register to adopt children by donating 200,000 VND/child/month... Accordingly, each head of the command will sponsor at least 1 child; departments and offices of the command will sponsor at least 2 children. For example, in Bac Ly and My Ly communes, in addition to 2 adopted children, there are 6 students sponsored by the leaders of the Command, 2 students sponsored by officers and soldiers of My Ly Station. Each sponsored child will receive at least 500,000 VND/month. This activity will be maintained until the children finish school.

Mỗi ngày, các bố nuôi đều chở con tới trường an toàn chu đáo. Ảnh: Đào Thọ

Every day, foster fathers take their children to school safely and carefully. Photo: Dao Tho

Up to this point, the adoption activities of border stations on the Nghe An - Laos border have received great trust from relatives and people in the border area. Mrs. Xong Y Di, mother of Tho Ba Xa (one of the two children adopted by the Nam Can Border Station, Ky Son) confided: "Seeing that our children are living in a military environment and receiving the attention of the station's officers, we are very assured. Every day, every week, in addition to class and review time, the two children follow their uncles to the garden to increase production, practice sports, and when they have free time, they go home to visit. The station coordinates with the school to inform the family about the children's education situation very fully. Hopefully, when they grow up, they will join the army and enter the military environment."

Mr. Lo May Man - Secretary of the Keng Du Commune Party Committee affirmed: "Along with the activities of helping people in border areas develop the economy, ensuring political and social security, the activities of adopting children, sponsoring students, and encouraging learning of the Border Guard Station will contribute to improving people's knowledge, strengthening the solidarity and close ties between officers, soldiers and ethnic people in border areas, building a stronger national border defense than ever before in the present and the future."