The person who "ignited" change in Xoóng Con

Nearly three decades of working in the village have taught him that for a Party branch to be strong, it must first be connected to the people. He carried out mobilization efforts to encourage villagers to participate in movements, visited individual homes to disseminate policies and guidelines, and sought out and nurtured outstanding individuals with perseverance and responsibility. From facing the risk of declining Party membership, the Xoóng Con Party branch has gradually been strengthened and developed. By 2024, the branch had escaped the risk of "re-empty membership," had 10 members, and was rated as having successfully completed its tasks. This achievement is the culmination of the involvement of the entire political system, but also marks the persistent efforts of the Party branch secretary who has dedicated nearly half his life to village affairs.

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Among the 14 Party branches in the commune, Xoóng Con is the most challenging area in many respects. However, it is precisely in this difficult place that dedicated grassroots officials like Mr. Lương Văn Cường emerge. What is admirable about this Party branch secretary is not only his devotion but also his unwavering commitment to achieving his goals. From a Party branch once at risk of "re-establishing membership," by 2024, Xoóng Con had 10 Party members and was gradually stabilizing its operations.

Mr. Lu Van May - Secretary of the Party Committee of Tam Thai Commune

However, just as one difficulty was resolved, a new requirement arose. The implementation of a two-tiered local government model and the promotion of digital transformation at the grassroots level rendered traditional working methods increasingly unsuitable. From reports, resolutions, and party branch meeting documents to party member handbooks and attendance records, everything was done digitally. For many, this was an inevitable trend of the times. But for a party branch secretary like Mr. Cuong, who only completed the 9th grade and had been accustomed to working with pen and notebook for many years, it was truly an unprecedented challenge.

Mr. Tran Anh Tu, Standing Committee member and Chairman of the Party Committee's Inspection Committee of Tam Thai commune, recalled that before the digital transformation was accelerated, Mr. Cuong was a very enthusiastic and responsible grassroots official, but almost "a blank page" when it came to information technology. Mr. Cuong himself admitted this.

For many years, he meticulously handwrote all reports, documents, and meeting materials before photocopying them. Computers were a foreign concept to him. However, what impressed many was that instead of avoiding or citing his age to refuse change, he chose to start learning from the most basic things.

The turning point came in July 2025, after many meetings, when the Xoóng Con village decided to use its communal fund to buy a laptop for work. In many places, that's a normal investment. But in a remote, impoverished village, the value of the laptop was equivalent to a buffalo – a significant asset for each family. The laptop was purchased with high hopes from the entire village, but unfortunately, no one knew how to use it. From the Party branch secretary to the village head, no one had ever touched a computer or typed on a keyboard. However, instead of seeing it as a barrier and making excuses to avoid it, Mr. Lương Văn Cường was determined to learn.

The early days of learning technology were filled with bewilderment. He started with typing and word processing books. During the day, he worked at a printing shop, and in the evenings, he would open his computer and practice typing. However, the more he learned, the more he realized that technology wasn't as easy to master as he thought. There were characters he couldn't find no matter how hard he searched. There were operations he tried repeatedly but still got wrong. Not knowing who to ask or where he was going wrong, he decided to seek direct guidance.

The person he sought out was Mr. Luong Van Tin, a skilled computer expert, former Chairman of the Farmers' Association of the old Tam Thai commune, who had recently retired under Decree 178. Bringing his newly purchased computer, Mr. Cuong traveled to Mr. Tin's house, more than 10 km away, and asked to stay for a week to learn. "People go to learn a trade, but I went to learn how to use a computer," he said with a laugh.

For a whole week, the nearly 50-year-old Party branch secretary learned the basics: how to turn on the computer, how to position his hands on the keyboard, how to type Vietnamese diacritics, and how to save a document. A man nearing 50 years old began learning again like a beginner, patiently memorizing each character on the keyboard, his fingers, once accustomed to holding machetes and hoes for farming, now persistently typing each letter.

After those days of intensive training, Mr. Cuong continued to bring his computer to the commune office, taking advantage of every opportunity to ask officials for further guidance. He learned with rare perseverance. When he was pointed out for spelling mistakes repeatedly, he happily corrected them. Even when he had to repeat operations many times to remember them, he never gave up.

The culmination of that journey was the first year-end performance review, entirely written on a computer. He spent three days and nights completing the document. Three days and nights typing every word, adjusting every line, checking for every small error. During the day, he was busy with production and village affairs, and at night, he would sit in front of the computer screen until late. His wife watched him diligently working at the keyboard, worrying about his health while admiring his determination.