Law

Peace for the people, warmth for the villages in the border region.

Khanh Ly • January 1, 2025 16:36

Always bearing in mind that "the border is our homeland, and the people of all ethnic groups are our brothers and sisters," over the years, officers and soldiers of Nhon Mai Border Guard Station (Nghe An Border Guard Command) have always stood alongside local Party committees and authorities in the fight against poverty, ensuring "peace for the people, peace for the area, and peace for the border."

A bridge connecting shores of joy

Since the military-civilian bridge, over 15 meters long, 2 meters wide, with a load capacity of 2 tons and a total value of nearly 335 million VND, was handed over and put into use in mid-2024, the people of Cha Lo village (Mai Son commune, Tuong Duong district) no longer worry about safety when wading through streams and crossing rivers during floods.

The bridge, built through the collaboration of the Nhon Mai Border Guard Post and the Dien Chan Charitable Group in Ho Chi Minh City with benefactors, has brought immense joy to 116 households and 521 people of the Khơ Mú ethnic group (including 108 poor households) in this remote village.

Mr. Vi Van Sen, head of Cha Lo village, happily stated:: "Previously, villagers who wanted to go to the commune center had to wade across streams, which posed many dangers, especially during the rainy season. So when the new bridge was built, the villagers were very happy and grateful to the border guards and philanthropists..."

Moreover, the 56-meter-long, 3.6-meter-wide concrete-pillar iron bridge spanning the Hy stream, and the 3-meter-wide pedestrian bridge with a load capacity of 3.5 tons, costing a total of 500-650 million VND, which were put into use in 2023, were all "dreams come true" for the people of Pha Mut and Nhon Mai villages (Nhon Mai commune).

Speaking with us, Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Van Thuong, Political Officer of the Nhon Mai Border Guard Station, said: The station is responsible for managing and protecting a 28.111km stretch of border with 9 border markers located in the area of ​​two communes, Nhon Mai and Mai Son, comprising 21 villages, 1,356 households/6,534 people, mainly ethnic minorities such as the Thai, Khmu, and Mong.

Many villages and hamlets in these areas have rugged terrain, with only temporary bridges crossing the streams. During the rainy season, when the streams rise, the bridges are often swept away, causing difficulties for the villagers' travel and production, and disrupting the education of their children.

"The Nhon Mai Border Guard Station has connected with benefactors to support the funding for the construction of a pedestrian bridge, making it easier for people to travel."

"The unit selected experienced personnel to provide labor support in constructing a sturdy bridge across the stream, facilitating trade connections, contributing to improving the quality of life for the people, and creating momentum for socio-economic development in the locality."

Supporting students in disadvantaged areas to continue their education.

Located in a border area, the Nhon Mai Border Guard Post always pays attention to and cares for the education of children from ethnic minority communities through many meaningful programs and activities such as: calling for sponsorship to build clean water facilities and auxiliary facilities serving teaching and learning at schools in difficult areas.

During the 2023-2024 school year, the Nhon Mai Border Guard Station connected with organizations and philanthropists to secure funding, while the unit itself contributed labor to build a kindergarten and primary school in Huoi Man village and a kitchen for the kindergarten in Huoi Co village (Nhon Mai commune); and to build a kitchen, boundary wall, corrugated iron roof, and playground for the kindergarten in Pieng Cooc village (Mai Son commune).

In particular, the Border Guard Post mobilized benefactors to implement the "Adopted Child" program, providing lunch support for 27 Hmong students for 5 years with 20,000 VND/day/child, along with all kitchen utensils, a washing machine, electricity, etc., for the Piêng Coọc village kindergarten.

The dedication of the soldiers of the Nhon Mai Border Guard Post to the education of children from ethnic minority communities in the border region is also demonstrated through their support for 13 students under the "Helping Children Go to School" program and the "Military Officers Helping Children Go to School" project, along with many other programs aimed at students in disadvantaged areas such as: "Warm Clothes for the Border"; "Moonlight on the Border - Mid-Autumn Festival Night", "Border Dormitory"...

In addition, the station also drilled six clean water wells and donated water filters to help schools overcome difficulties related to clean water supply.

“The companionship and support of the Nhon Mai Border Guard Station and benefactors are important resources that help the school improve learning and living conditions for students in disadvantaged areas, especially boarding students, encouraging them both materially and spiritually,” said Mr. Nguyen Tat Thi, Principal of Mai Son Boarding Secondary School, which has 192 students, including 122 boarding students.

Housing support and livelihood models for the poor.

Along with the task of firmly protecting border sovereignty and security, social welfare work, helping people overcome poverty, has always been a priority for the Nhon Mai Border Guard Station, aiming for the goal of "peace for the people, prosperity for the villages".

In 2023-2024, Nhon Mai Border Guard Station implemented 4 combined military-civilian livelihood models (cage fish farming, goat breeding) worth 200,000,000 VND, helping local households develop their economy and stabilize their lives.

The border guard post also built the "Green Star Charity House," which provides free clean water, free medical examinations and treatment, and donates clothes and necessities to the poor; launched the "Giving Green Seeds - Greening the Border" nursery, and donated more than 10,000 fruit trees and timber trees to the people of Nhon Mai commune and 10 border guard posts along National Highway 7A.

In particular, 20 solidarity houses, built with funding from Vinh City at the request of the police station, were inaugurated and handed over in December 2024 so that the households could celebrate Tet, bringing immense happiness to many families.

On the day they received the handover and moved into their new, sturdy houses, many poor households in Mai Son and Nhon Mai communes were deeply moved and expressed their commitment to actively work and produce to develop their economy and escape poverty.

Lieutenant Colonel Phan Thanh Hong, Commander of Nhon Mai Border Guard Station, said: "In 2024 alone, the unit appealed to, mobilized, and connected with philanthropists and benefactors nationwide to invest in public works projects in the area with a total amount of more than 2.1 billion VND."

Comrade Luong Van Hoa - Secretary of the Party Committee of Nhon Mai commune affirmed: The projects and tasks for the people that the Nhon Mai Border Guard Station has been implementing not only help the local Party committee and government reduce the burden of social welfare, help disadvantaged households have solid houses to live in, and have livelihoods to rise out of poverty… but also contribute to strengthening the bond between the military and the people in the border area.

Khanh Ly