"Do before you speak!"

(Baonghean) - After leaving the military in 1985, Mr. Vi Duc Tuan (Mon village, Thach Giam commune, Tuong Duong district) actively participated in local social activities. Trusted by the villagers, he held the positions of Party branch secretary and village head for many consecutive terms. In 2009, he transferred to work in the Fatherland Front at the commune level, a position he holds to this day.

In Bản Mon village, everyone speaks of official Tuấn with admiration. They say he is a man who "speaks well and acts well." Throughout his long years as a village official, he has been dedicated to accomplishing the two most important tasks for his village: economic development and maintaining security. The village is traversed by National Highway 7A, has a flat terrain, convenient transportation, and is close to the district center. This convenient location, however, also creates opportunities for social ills, most notably drug abuse. The villagers are mainly Thái ethnic people (104 out of 120 households), mostly relying on slash-and-burn agriculture, but they only get one crop per year, so their lives are quite difficult.

Mr. Vi Duc Tuan is taking care of his flock of pigeons. Photo: Ho Phuong

Mr. Tuan thought that to mobilize the villagers to eradicate poverty and focus on building up their community, mere words wouldn't suffice. As a Party member and the leader, he had to set an example first. So, he and his wife started engaging in economic activities, initially participating in two district projects: reforestation, grass cultivation, and livestock development. With just the two of them, their determination and diligence enabled them to cultivate 4 hectares of mahogany trees, 1 hectare of bamboo, and 1 hectare of acacia hybrid, planting 3,000 to 5,000 cassava plants annually, as well as corn and upland rice...

He said, “I also planned to intercrop acacia trees with cassava for convenience. Each time I harvest the cassava, I weed the acacia trees. The cassava can be used as animal feed. In addition, I buy leftover food from restaurants to feed the pigs. My wife and I divide the work of collecting wastewater daily. I have experimented and successfully raised many types of animals. Currently, his family has hundreds of pigeons, nearly 50 pigs, 9 goats, and 1 draft ox. The annual income from livestock farming is over 60 million VND. In addition, he also runs a milling service, earning over 10 million VND annually, plus about 15 million VND from his fields, and 5 million VND from planted forest products...”

Seeing Mr. Tuan's example, many villagers came to his house hoping to learn from him. Everyone was surprised, asking his wife: How did the two of them manage to raise so many pigs and plant so many trees, while he still had time to be such a good official? He shared his methods and secrets with the villagers, emphasizing that the most important thing is to be diligent and hardworking, not to rely on others; to be united and have a reasonable division of labor within the family; and to stay away from the sweet talk of those who entice them into illegal wealth accumulation. Thanks to this "secret," many people have successfully escaped poverty, and the village has become happier and more prosperous as a result...

That's the economic concern, but what about the complex terrain and the rise of crime? While working in the village, Mr. Tuan always focused on mobilizing the people to fight and prevent crime. He and the village committee established a security team, regularly inspecting and patrolling to monitor the situation. At one point, the village had up to 12 drug dealing hotspots, with nearly 20 drug addicts, leading to theft and causing insecurity among the people. As the Party branch secretary, he set the theme of combating drug abuse in Party branch meetings. The Party branch established three neighborhood groups led by Party members, mobilizing the people to report those involved in drug-related crimes, while simultaneously seeking ways to approach, rehabilitate, and educate drug addicts and thieves...

As someone who resolutely fights against crime and vice, Mr. Tuan has been threatened and had his property damaged on numerous occasions. However, he has not been deterred. Combining firmness with flexibility, he and his family have always upheld a righteous lifestyle and strictly adhered to the law, gradually gaining the support of others. He shared that to become a respected figure in the community, one must speak with reason and compassion, live sincerely, and most importantly, act before speaking!

Thuy Vinh