Practice makes perfect

(Baonghean) -Thanks to a long time of volunteering to stay with the people, holding their hands and showing them the work, Major Tran Van Khoa, the Mass Mobilization Team, Ngoc Lam Border Post and his teammates have contributed to improving and changing the lives of the resettled people in Muong village, Ngoc Lam commune (Thanh Chuong district)...

Following the asphalt road to the resettlement area of ​​Muong village, Ngoc Lam commune, Thanh Chuong district, we met Major Tran Van Khoa and the villagers cutting branches to prepare tea seedlings for a new crop. While working directly and instructing the villagers on pruning techniques using machines, Mr. Khoa spoke and worked quickly. For many years, he has been attached to the villagers in all jobs, from planting trees, raising livestock to cultural activities. Therefore, the people of Muong village always consider Mr. Khoa as their son.

Major Tran Van Khoa guides people in Muong village in growing tea seedlings.

Handing over the work to village chief Luong Van Phuong, Mr. Khoa took us to visit some household economic models in the village that he and his teammates had worked hard to build. In the story, he confided: “I am a soldier, living closely with the people, so I understand the thinking of the people here very well. The people only believe and follow when the cadres say what they can do. To do that, in addition to expertise and profession, we must also learn and do the jobs that are close to the lives of the people, from plowing, raising livestock, growing crops... everyone from the elderly to the children knows.”

As a son of Thanh Chuong district, having spent more than half of his military career attached to the border and ethnic minorities, when he returned to take up his duties at Ngoc Lam Border Post, it was also the time when ethnic minorities from Tuong Duong border district moved to Thanh Chuong district to resettle to make way for the construction of Ban Ve Hydropower Plant. Coming from the countryside, knowledgeable about farming, he volunteered to help the people of Muong village, Ngoc Lam commune, Thanh Chuong district. With the knowledge he had acquired and his dedication, understanding the aspirations of the people, he and his teammates quickly consolidated the organizations and unions in the village, putting them into orderly operation. Mr. Khoa directly mobilized the people to participate in reclaiming rice fields, instructing them to use buffaloes for plowing, and then rice threshing machines. This contributed to reducing labor compared to the previous way of doing things of the villagers and increasing crop productivity. Along with rice, he also guided the villagers to grow other valuable plants such as green tea, cajuput, cassava, dig ponds to raise fish and open up livestock farming models. For poor families, he contacted them to borrow capital for livestock farming, help with labor and farming techniques. For many years, all production work of the villagers has had the guidance and practical hands of border guard officer Tran Van Khoa.

For a long time, staying in the village and living with the people, Major Tran Van Khoa has won the trust of the people. When they were satisfied, the people steadfastly followed the instructions of the border guards stationed in the village. From a village that was weak in all aspects and had complicated security and order, Muong village is now becoming a cultural point on the border. The village party cell, mass organizations such as youth, women, etc. are all operating effectively. Every family competes in economic production, implementing a new way of life, building the village to be more and more prosperous. Life in the new place is stable, the people give up the idea of ​​returning to their old hometown. Major Tran Van Khoa shared his experience: “First of all, to gain the people's trust, the cadres must really immerse themselves in their work, especially in meetings, they must propose policies, focusing on economic development. When they first arrived, the people did not know about land reclamation, plowing, production... even using fertilizers to fertilize plants. That is why the brothers went directly to each household, helping with each specific task, through which the people saw that the army could do what they said, could do it, and trusted and followed the army...”.

Directly working with Major Tran Van Khoa to take care of and guide the villagers, Muong Village Chief Luong Van Phuong expressed: “Officer Khoa is very much loved by the villagers. The life of the villagers is like today thanks to listening to his good words and following his skillful hands. We and the other households are now assured to stick with the new land…”. Mr. Lo Hoai Dung - Chairman of the People's Committee of Ngoc Lam Commune highly appreciated the help of the Border Guard of Ngoc Lam Station, he said: “In the early days, when we first moved here, you were very dedicated, sending officers to directly guide the villagers on economic development, consolidating grassroots political organizations, and building solidarity between the army and the people. In particular, Major Tran Van Khoa came to directly hold hands and show the villagers how to do things. Currently, the lives of the resettled villagers are gradually stabilizing, and the people are assured to stick with the new land”.

Hai Thuong