Spring comes to Pieng Lang

The old road has opened

Located at the source of the Nam Giai River, bordering Vietnam - Laos, Pieng Lang village, Nam Giai commune (Que Phong) is the resettlement site for households in Puc and Meo villages that were heavily affected by the historic flash flood in 2007.

Before, every time I mentioned goingPieng Lang, everyone expressed concern. Because the village is located more than 30 km from the district center, more than 10 km from the commune center, and the main thing is that the road is extremely difficult to travel. At first, the road along Nam Giai stream was a small trail that only one motorbike could pass through, then it was widened a little.

Border guards, soldiers, union members and youths help people in Pieng Lang village, Nam Giai commune (Que Phong) build rural roads. Photo: Phong Cam

The dirt and rocky road surface is rough, with many steep and hairpin turns. Only the locals dare to ride on the “iron horse”. During rainy and flood days, the hardships are indescribable. Only when someone has a really urgent matter will they intend to go to Pieng Lang. Normally, just thinking about it makes them feel “scared”.

Now it's different, Chau Kim - Nam Giai route has been upgraded, traffic has become much easier. The section from the centerNam Giai communeThe road to Pieng Lang has been mostly concreted, only short sections from Puc village have not been completed yet, traffic is still difficult, but much better than before.

Mr. Lo Van Thanh - a Pieng Lang resident shared: "In the early days, the road was very difficult to travel, every time we had to go back to the old village or to the commune, we had to walk, not many people dared to ride a motorbike, sometimes it took a whole day. The government is increasingly interested in investing in expanding and upgrading the road so that people can travel conveniently, and with the help of army units, we can do it now...".

Pieng Lang people cling to the mountains and hills to build farms, develop livestock, and gradually escape poverty. Photo by Cong Kien

Starting from the commune center, in less than 30 minutes, the “iron horse” took us to Pieng Lang. After more than 10 years, the trees have turned green, the tin-roofed houses have turned yellow and people’s lives have changed a lot. Poverty has not ended, but no one is worried about the lean season, nor is there the scene of “Sweating to make ends meet” anymore.

Mr. Lo Van Thuong - Party Cell Secretary welcomed us right at the slope at the beginning of the village with a big smile and a tight handshake. He said: “Compared to other villages, Pieng Lang is still poor. But compared to our past, life has made great progress, no longer worrying about hunger, on the contrary, many households have a good source of income, and will soon be rich. This is largely thanks to the increasingly easy and convenient roads.”

Pieng Lang currently has 56 households (329 people), of which 24 are poor. Initially, the people were residents of Puc and Meo villages, whose houses were located along the banks of Nam Giai stream, often facing danger during the rainy and flood seasons. The flash flood in 2007 took the lives of 13 people and caused a lot of property damage, leaving behind many horrors. High-risk households were relocated to Pieng Lang resettlement area, initially receiving support to build houses, reclaim rice fields and support with fruit tree seeds to start building a new life.

Mr. Lo Van Thuong - Secretary of the Party Cell of Pieng Lang village is a pioneer in developing farms, raising livestock and poultry, bringing in a large source of income. Photo: Cong Kien

“This is a high, safe place, but the land is not fertile, some places are full of rocks, impossible to cultivate. Many people have expressed concern, even confusion due to the difficulties in transportation, production conditions and harsh climate, and have considered moving to another place. That was in the past, now it is different, even if chased away, no one intends to leave the village” - Mr. Lo Van Thuong confided.

Turn over stones to find gold

After initial worries, the Pieng Lang people encouraged each other to find ways to survive in this land. In addition to farming and growing fruit trees to ensure food needs, they had to find moresource of incometo improve, step by step escape from hunger and poverty.

For those who were born and raised in the mountains, forests, streams, and creeks, there is no other way than to cling to the land and forests to make a living. Each person has their own way, but now many households, thanks to hard work and creativity in business and production, have food and property, and their lives are increasingly prosperous, with an annual income of approximately hundreds of millions of dong.

For Mr. Lo Van Thuong, developing his farm in Pieng Lang is a job of "turning over rocks to find gold". Photo: Cong Kien

A typical example is the farm model of Mr. Ngan Van Thi's household, which both grows raw material forests and raises 7 buffaloes, 6 cows and 23 free-range pigs. Also growing raw material forests and developing livestock, Mr. Ngan Van Luong and Mr. Le Van Son own several hectares of hybrid acacia and dozens of cattle. Developing livestock are Mr. Lo Van Thanh, Mr. Ngan Van Thoai and Secretary Lo Van Thuong, each household currently has over 20 buffaloes and cows. The model of digging ponds to raise fish has the households of Mr. Ngan Van Thu and Le Dinh Xuyen, each year bringing in tens of millions of dong in income...

Following Mr. Lo Van Thuong to the livestock planning area, crossing the Nam Giai River, we were really impressed by the seemingly endless stretches of rocks. If it were near an eco-tourism area, this would be an ideal spot for check-in, but being in a livestock planning area, it is really a “difficulty” for farmers. Heavy rain and floods will sweep rocks of all sizes into the rice fields. Then the orphaned rocks are scattered, undulating in the middle of the land, making it impossible to cultivate.

“Necessity is the mother of invention”, when unable to cultivate, the Pieng Lang people divided the area to graze buffalo, cows, goats, pigs, chickens and brought in a considerable income. Farms sprang up one after another; large and small rocks were turned over and gathered into blocks to make space; small streams were blocked and expanded into fish ponds. Over the years, the Pieng Lang people have managed to turn the barren, barren land into a production area that brings in a fairly high income.

The Women's Union of the Logistics Department, Provincial Border Guard, in coordination with benefactors and leaders of Que Phong district, presented Tet gifts to people in Pieng Lang village (Nam Giai). Photo: Le Thach

Secretary Lo Van Thuong's farm is located on the edge of the mountain, the watchtower is built precariously next to a small stream, surrounded by countless rocks that seem to be lying around. The children have their own families, every day Mr. Thuong and his wife take turns coming here to take care of and look after 9 buffaloes, 8 cows, 17 goats and hundreds of chickens, not to mention the fish pond that is more than 2 sao wide.

“At first, we had to borrow capital to invest in building barns, raising animals, buying breeds and trying to turn over each stone. There were times when we thought about giving up because of crop failures due to floods, cold weather and diseases. But later, with technical training and more experience, our income became more and more stable. The villagers often joke that “in the past, we turned over stones, now we pick up gold” is why.”

We left Pieng Lang whenLunar New Year2021 is near, excitement and anticipation are evident on every face. Perhaps this Tet will be the happiest Tet since resettling here, when pigs and chickens are already in the pen and the road is easier to travel.

Mr. Lo Minh Tuong - Chairman of Nam Giai Commune People's Committee said: "Thanks to the attention and investment of all levels and sectors as well as the efforts of the people to adapt to the new situation, life in Pieng Lang is gradually improving. Although poverty has not yet ended, many households have initially accumulated, hoping that the new year will bring favorable weather and rain so that people can have an increasingly prosperous life."

Cong Kien