Xong Ba Cha speaks well and acts skillfully.

(Baonghean) - From Kim Son town (Que Phong district), we crossed the misty Pu Chong Cha to visit the family of village head Xong Ba Cha of D1 village, Minh Chau Economic Zone, Tri Le commune. The house was empty. The sounds of chickens chirping for food and buffaloes and cows clattering in the forest could be heard. A neighbor called out: "They haven't come home yet; they have a lot of work to do, they're out all day."

Mr. Xong Ba Cha is helping his child with their homework.

It wasn't until dusk that the sound of a motorbike and the headlights of the homeowner's vehicle could be heard. After a handshake and introductions, Xong Ba Cha invited the guests into his house and explained: "I wanted to leave early, but many villagers kept asking me about how to grow sugarcane and raise chickens... So I had to stay and explain everything in detail to them." It turned out that the "good reputation" of Xong Ba Cha, 31 years old – the youngest Hmong in Minh Chau – had spread far and wide, with people from all over the village saying he had a knack for business.

Sitting by the glowing charcoal stove, Xong Ba Cha shared his story: "In 2003, thanks to the Party and State's policies and support, the Hmong people of Huoi Moi 2 village came down from the mountains to establish a new village and community in the Minh Chau Economic Zone. Here, Hmong children have the opportunity to learn to read and write and to engage in economic activities. Thanks to that, I also had the chance to study and graduated from Nghe An College of Education. After graduating, while waiting for a job placement, I was admitted to the Party and, with the trust of the villagers, was elected village head. I then joined the Standing Committee of the Cultural Front of the commune."

To escape poverty, with the help and guidance of officials on new farming methods, my wife and I, undeterred by difficulties, worked day and night to reclaim 1 hectare of land for sugarcane cultivation, 1,000 square meters for passion fruit, and over 600 peach trees, earning an average income of over 20 million VND per year. Seeing our hard work and prosperity, our neighbors came to learn from our experience. I guided and encouraged 66 households in the village to establish a cooperative, actively reclaiming paddy fields and applying scientific and technological advancements in rice, corn, sugarcane, and passion fruit cultivation. To date, many households have accumulated wealth, and many families have been able to purchase motorbikes and invest in their children's education.

The traditional Hmong belief was that having many children, especially sons, was considered auspicious. However, Xong Ba Cha, having received an education, changed his perspective. He now believes that "whether a girl or a boy, two is enough," so he uses effective contraception to invest in his children's education, fulfilling the criteria of a "Culturally Exemplary Family," setting a good example in adhering to the Party's policies and the State's laws, and actively participating in local emulation movements such as the "Mass Movement for National Security Protection."

Furthermore, to preserve the culture and identity of the Hmong people, Xong Ba Cha actively promotes and organizes Hmong flute dance performances, selecting skilled dance and flute players to participate in the Nine-Room Temple Festival organized annually by the district. Another achievement of Xong Ba Cha is that he has propagated a new way of life to the villagers, encouraging them to eat cooked food and drink boiled water, abandon outdated customs, and seek medical attention at the health station when sick, contributing to the fact that D1 village has not experienced any epidemics for many years. Xong Ba Cha's family has been recognized as a model cultural family of the province for many consecutive years.

Pham Ngan