'Rearranging' life for Dan Lai people

With the desire to help the poor and not leave anyone behind, over the years Con Cuong district has directed and mobilized the entire political system and people to join hands in building a new life for the Dan Lai people.

The land in the resettlement area of ​​Dan Lai people produces two rice crops per year. Besides, due to lack of irrigation water, other crops are often left fallow. Photo: Tuong Vi

It has been 17 years since settling in her new hometown, but Ms. Le Thi Niem in Tan Son village, Mon Son commune, like many Dan Lai ethnic people, has only now really gotten into the habit of raising and caring for poultry. Not only that, she has also fenced and carefully lined her vegetable garden. "Previously, in her old hometown, vegetables were grown without fences, chickens and pigs were raised freely, but here, the cadres taught her how to raise and grow crops, so it is better. Living near the center, life is less difficult" - Ms. Le Thi Niem said

In the past, in their old hometown Khe Khang (core area of ​​Pu Mat National Forest), the Dan Lai people lived mainly on hunting and gathering in the deep forests and mountains. During the day, they went down to the stream to catch fish or into the forest to pick bamboo shoots, and at night, they slept by the fire all night to avoid the cold and the attacks of wild animals. Growing their own vegetables, raising livestock and poultry or taking care of their daily meals was a strange story for this ethnic group. Later, they raised chickens and pigs, but they were left to the mercy of nature. Life in the deep mountains, isolated from the community, combined with many backward customs, put this ethnic group at risk of species decline due to poverty and incestuous marriage.

Life of the Dan Lai people on the upper reaches of the Giang River. Photo: Dao Tuan

In 2002, following the policies of the Party and the State, with the help of the Party Committee, the government and local departments and branches, Ms. Niem's ​​family and 35 Dan Lai people relocated to the Tan Son and Cua Rao resettlement areas in Mon Son commune to build a new, more prosperous and fulfilling life.

In their new place of residence, the people were provided with housing, land for production, seedlings by the State and their needs such as electricity, roads, schools, and stations were met. Thanks to this, their lives were more stable and they were better cared for. However, even though the people of Dan Lai had moved to a new place of residence, they still maintained many backward habits and customs, so 98% of them were still poor households.

The houses built with support from the State, after many years without the attention of the people for repair, have seriously degraded; the fields and gardens have not received much attention so most of them are abandoned; the livestock barns built close to the houses cause environmental pollution, affecting people's health; young people or people of working age leave their hometowns to work for hire far away, leaving only the elderly and children at home. Therefore, people still have the mentality of waiting and relying on the support of the State.

Local officials help people renovate their gardens and increase the area for growing vegetables. Photo: Tuong Vi

Faced with that reality, to help Dan Lai households here change their mindset as well as be proactive in their way of doing business, create a new stable life and gradually escape poverty, Ms. Ngan Thi Dan and members of the Tan Son Farmers' Association and the Women's Union of Mon Son commune coordinated with departments and branches to visit each family to instruct on production methods and encourage people to maintain environmental hygiene. Changing habits in the Dan Lai community is not an easy thing. Therefore, Ms. Dan and many other cadres and party members of Mon Son commune did not hesitate to face difficulties, regularly visited Tan Son and Cua Rao villages, wholeheartedly advised, closely shared and helped people "rearrange" their lives and work, thanks to which people listened and followed.

Ms. Ngan Thi Dan - Tan Son Village Farmers' Association, Mon Son Commune, Con Cuong District said: When people first came here, they were not familiar with life in the new hometown, their awareness was limited and there was a language barrier, so it was very difficult to help, propagate and guide. Economic conditions are also difficult to change. Especially, many people are frustrated and want to return to their old hometown to live off the forest. However, now people's lives have become much more stable, and their thinking has also changed.

A cadre of Mon Son commune (right) guides a Dan Lai household in growing vegetables. Photo: Tuong Vi

To help the Dan Lai community, Con Cuong district has directed 43 party committees and affiliated party cells, along with local agencies and units, to help 36 Dan Lai households in Tan Son village.

With the joint efforts of the entire political system, on average each Dan Lai household received 10 million VND in support to repair houses, build livestock barns, and rebuild their lives. The support money was taken from the salaries of cadres, party members, civil servants, public employees, and workers at agencies and units in the area.

The Party Committee, the government, and departments, branches, and organizations assigned cadres and party members to go directly to villages and hamlets to mobilize, propagate, and guide people to rebuild their lives. From improving fields and growing rice to arranging barns to ensure environmental hygiene, and guiding them in raising livestock to improve their daily meals.

Local officials help Dan Lai households renovate their gardens. Photo: Tuong Vi

Up to this point, nearly 20 party committees and branches have participated in supporting the repair of houses for the Dan Lai people with a total amount of over 330 million VND. With the whole society's solidarity and help, the people of Tan Son and Cua Rao villages have had many fundamental changes. People have learned how to raise livestock and grow crops, develop family economy, many families have agricultural products such as vegetables, fish, food to share with neighbors and the community.

Thanks to the help and sharing of cadres, party members and people of Con Cuong district, Dan Lai people have more confidence in a new, stable life through their own labor. This spring, 36 Dan Lai households will live in houses that have been repaired, more spacious and warmer.

Tuong Vi