The bonds of friendship in Nam Giai

(Baonghean)Climbing steep slopes, Mrs. Quang Thi Doan (60 years old) and her daughter from Pieng Lang village (bordering Sam To district, Hua Phan province, Laos) braved the sun to reach Cang village (the central village of Nam Giai commune - Que Phong district) early in the morning to receive the cattle this time, along with four other people. Not only Mrs. Doan, but Nam Giai seems more bustling these days as the working group from the Provincial Military Command comes to help alleviate some of the hardships of the poor people in this western village of Nghe An province.

From Kim Son town, after traversing over 30km of winding mountain passes and peaks perpetually shrouded in clouds, we finally reached the location where the working group was staying as part of a program to assist impoverished people in the Mekong Delta. Lieutenant Colonel Phan Van Sy, Deputy Head of Political Affairs (Provincial Military Command), recounted that in July 2012, 150 officers and soldiers from Regiment 764 spent a month here working alongside the local people. They dug and transported individual stones for paving bricks, helping to build the perimeter wall for the commune's health station. The medical team from the Provincial Military Command also provided medical examinations and treatment to hundreds of people in Nam Giai.



Military doctor Lieutenant Nguyen Van Phung examines the eyes of Mrs. Ngan Thi Kim in Toong village.

In 2012, the Provincial Military Command, using funds raised from one day's salary of each officer and soldier, organized delegations to distribute free medicine to the people, purchased equipment to donate to the Nậm Giải Commune Health Station, helped build a fence around the health station, and supported the construction of a house of compassion, with a total cost of 206 million VND. This year, still with the sentiment and responsibility of "Coming from the people, sacrificing for the people, fighting for the people" of the soldiers of Uncle Ho, they met the people again, as if returning to a familiar homeland.

Ms. Quang Thi Doan shared: “My family has never owned a cow before, and now that the soldiers have given us one, we are so happy that the whole family stayed up all night. People from the village came to visit, and we were very joyful.” Ms. Doan's family lives in Pieng Lang village, the furthest village in the commune, so they face many difficulties. They only moved here from Quang Phong commune about two years ago, and in the beginning, her family had to clear land for farming to make ends meet. Now, thanks to the support, they were able to buy back 5 sao (approximately 0.5 hectares) of paddy fields, and now, receiving a breeding cow is like a life-changing event for her family. In addition to donating 5 breeding cows to 5 particularly disadvantaged families in the commune, the delegation also organized free medical examinations and provided free medicine to 250 people. The engineering troops also surveyed the road in Puc village, preparing for construction before this year's rainy season.

In our conversation, Mr. Ngan Van Tinh, Secretary of the Party Committee of Nam Giai commune, remained pensive, reflecting on the disheartening statistics of this poor, remote commune: Located far from the district center (over 30km along difficult mountain roads), the commune has 8 villages with names that evoke a sense of remoteness: Cha Lang, Tong village, Pong village, Meo village, Mo village... the furthest of which is Pieng Lang village (bordering Laos). Currently, the commune has only met 2 out of 19 criteria for building new rural areas, and these 2 criteria relate to the construction of commune offices and the political system. The poverty rate remains at 76.4%, with 354 out of 458 households classified as poor.

However, the Thai people in Nam Giai today no longer practice slash-and-burn agriculture. The entire commune has over 74 hectares of land planted with two rice crops per year, with an average yield of 4.2 tons/ha, and a total herd of nearly 1,470 buffaloes and cattle. Roads in 2 out of 8 villages have been paved, totaling about 5.8 km. Party Secretary Ngan Van Tinh expressed his deep gratitude for the assistance from the officers and soldiers of the Provincial Military Command: “This program truly reflects the warm bond between the military and the people. The people of Nam Giai will never forget the efforts and kindness of you all.”

At the commune's health station, from early morning, a large crowd of people in traditional Thai clothing from distant villages had already arrived for medical examinations and treatment. There were elderly people and even infants being carried in their mothers' arms. Mr. Vy Van Dien (75 years old) from Cang village said: "Today I heard that the soldiers were coming to give medicine, so I asked my grandson to bring me. I have great faith in the soldiers; they help the people with many things, so I don't need to go to shamans for help."

Meanwhile, Lo Thi Minh, a 33-year-old woman from the Meo ethnic group, is the main breadwinner for her family. Her family is poor, and she suffers from frequent illnesses without the money to go to the hospital. Hearing that a team of military doctors was coming to provide free medical examinations, she was overjoyed: "Knowing that the military doctors are providing free examinations, I immediately went, hoping to get better so I can go back to farming."

In a conversation with Colonel Nguyen Xuan Giap, Deputy Political Commissar of the Provincial Military Command, it was learned that, through their efforts and contributions, the officers and soldiers of the provincial armed forces have shown their affection for the people of Nam Giai through practical gifts and actions. This demonstrates the "military and people are like fish and water" spirit, building a strong foundation of public support from this remote border region. This time, in addition to providing free medical examinations and treatment for the people, the unit also organized the distribution of cattle to disadvantaged households. The breeding cows this time were carefully selected to adapt immediately to the food and climate conditions, making it easier for the recipients to care for them.



Donating a cow to the family of Ms. Ha Thi Duong in Cha Lang village.

We bid farewell to Nam Giai amidst the sparkling joy of the local people and the hope that with the care and assistance of the officers and soldiers of the Provincial Military Command, life will be better and warmer in this highland region of Nghe An province.

Tran Hai