Youth Volunteer Team 5 - Nghe An Construction and Development: Promoting the spirit of economic development

(Baonghean) - In September 2000, the Youth Volunteer Team 5 - Nghe An Construction and Technology was officially established, located in Thanh Thuy and Thanh Ha communes (Thanh Chuong). The main task of the unit is to build a youth village, bring young people to the project area to establish a career; stabilize their lives long-term, create jobs and transfer science and technology to Youth Volunteer Team members. At the same time, coordinate with functional agencies to ensure security, order and security on the Vietnam - Laos border.

Up to now, the Youth Volunteer Force 5 has 150 households, with more than 503 people. The unit is assigned to manage and use 5,932.5 hectares of natural land; of which the protective forest area is 3,526 hectares, production forest land is 1,588.1 hectares, agricultural land and exploitation land is 818.4 hectares with more than 5 km of Vietnam - Laos border. After 15 years of construction and development, cadres and team members have strived to turn the barren, wild land into a rich, green tea hill, acacia forest, fruit trees and comprehensive farms with high income. The unit's Command Board has built a farm economic model as the main direction, in which the focus is on industrial tea trees, currently 230 hectares, of which 170 hectares are commercial tea, 60 hectares are in the basic design stage; the average yield is 14 tons/ha; The annual output of fresh buds reaches 2,400 tons, generating revenue of over 10 billion VND/year. In order to sell fresh buds to team members, in 2010 the unit built a processing factory with a capacity of 10 tons of buds/day and night, operating continuously, ensuring the consumption of over 30% of the tea in the entire unit.

Tea harvesting at Youth Volunteer Team 5. Photo: PV

The team members' households have also planted and cared for 20 hectares of rice, with an average yield of 5 tons/ha; planted and harvested more than 40 hectares of aromatic roots, more than 100 hectares of raw acacia; 20 hectares of oranges, 10 hectares of bamboo for shoots and a number of other crops. The total income from cultivation reaches over 15 billion VND/year. Along with cultivation, the livestock sector is also identified as an advantage in economic development. The total herd of buffalo and cows of the team members' households is currently more than 400, reaching an average of nearly 3 heads/household, the poultry herd is 10,000 heads, 90% of households have ponds for fish. Currently, the unit is implementing 6 models of breeding goats and commercial raising of 3/4 BOER crossbred goats with a scale of 14 heads/household.

With vast land potential, livestock products are mainly produced by households, providing a source of clean food for the market, favored by consumers; the annual value of livestock reaches more than 5 billion VND... Thanks to that, the lives of cadres and team members are increasingly improved, the average income per capita reaches 3.5 million VND/month, the average household reaches more than 11 million VND/month; many team member households have an income of 150 million VND/year. In addition, every year the unit also attracts and creates jobs for hundreds of workers in neighboring areas, actively contributing to the local socio-economic development.

Construction and infrastructure work has received attention and achieved many important results. From a land of "no roads, no electricity, no houses", up to now, the unit has 2 transformer stations, 6 km of low-voltage power lines ensuring electricity supply for 70% of team members' households; nearly 6 km of asphalt roads, 2.5 km of graded roads, 7 spillways across rivers and streams and 4 water reservoirs to retain moisture; spacious working houses, with enough conditions for the whole unit to exchange and study. 98% of households have solidly built houses, 100% of households have motorbikes and audio-visual equipment; many households have invested in cars and excavators to develop production and business, becoming advanced examples in labor and production to strive for legitimate enrichment... The cultural - artistic and sports movements of the unit are regularly maintained and increasingly developed. Through movement activities to educate revolutionary traditions and life skills for the young generation, enrich the spiritual life of cadres and team members. Every year, the unit also does a good job of promoting learning and talent by organizing commendation and reward ceremonies for students with high academic achievements. Social policy work is also carried out promptly through many practical activities such as organizing visits and giving gifts to Youth Volunteers in the district with especially difficult circumstances.

Taking care of oranges at Youth Volunteer Team 5. Photo: PV

Located in a remote border area, the unit's Command Board identified national defense and security as one of the top priorities. Therefore, a security and protection team was established immediately after the unit began operations; coordinating with the authorities to organize sweeps and expel illegal loggers operating in the area. Along with the establishment of the security and protection force, the Command Board established a self-defense force to meet the requirements and tasks in all circumstances. Thanks to that, in a short time, from a key area for illegal logging and social evils, it has now been basically prevented, ensuring a favorable environment for economic development. One of the tasks that officers and members of the 5th Youth Volunteer Team have effectively performed in the past time is the work of planting, protecting forests and fire prevention. By establishing a forest protection team, assigning tasks and specific responsibilities to each member, the unit has not had any forest fires for many years.

The General Team has always paid attention to the work of Party building, unit building and mass organizations. From a Party cell with only 3 Party members since its establishment, it now has 20 Party members, who are exemplary cadres and team members of the unit. With its leadership function, over the years, the Party cell has issued many specialized resolutions in important areas, leading and directing the unit to excellently complete the set goals. Cadres and Party members have always been exemplary in promoting "Studying and following the moral example of Ho Chi Minh" associated with criticism and self-criticism in the spirit of Resolution 4 of the Party Central Committee (11th term). From that way of doing, it has brought about many positive changes in awareness, overcoming the limitations and weaknesses of cadres and Party members, building a clean and strong Party cell and unit.

Promoting the tradition of 15 years of building and growing, in the coming time, cadres and members of the 5th Youth Volunteer Team are determined to maintain the goal of building party organizations, agencies, units and strong mass organizations. Promote the application of science and technology and apply technology to production to increase the value and quality of products; focus on production. Closely combine the task of socio-economic development with the work of maintaining border security and social order and safety, associated with doing well the task of protecting and developing forests in the area. Focus on researching and finding appropriate directions in the new period on the basis of promoting the achievements and experiences gained, the advantages of the unit and the development trends of society. Effectively apply the policies of the Party and the State, of all levels and sectors to create a premise for future development orientations...

In recognition and praise of its achievements, in 2015, the 5th Youth Volunteer Team - Nghe An Construction and Development was awarded a Certificate of Merit by the Prime Minister. The 15th anniversary of its establishment (September 2000 - September 2015) is an opportunity to look back at the process of building and developing the unit. At the same time, it continues to affirm the superiority that the Youth Volunteer Team model has brought, affirming the role of Youth Volunteers in the cause of building and defending the Fatherland in the new era.

Hoang Van Dong

(Commander of Youth Volunteer Team 5 - Nghe An Construction)