Cai Lon - Cai Be Sluice Project opens up livelihoods for people

Since the Cai Lon - Cai Be sewer system and the dike traffic route connecting National Highway 61 to National Highway 63 of An Giang province were completed, a part of An Bien commune that used to have only abandoned mixed gardens, the long stretch of water coconut trees of An Bien commune has been wearing a new coat. People not only have favorable conditions for production and aquaculture, but also open shops, trade, and create a stable livelihood.

The Cai Lon - Cai Be sluice project not only prevents salinity and retains freshwater, but also opens up livelihoods and warm smiles for many households.

About 50 meters from the Cai Lon culvert project, Mrs. Le Thi Phuong sat by the fire, her golden roasted corn giving off a sweet aroma. Hearing my inquiry, Mrs. Phuong smiled gently, turning each ear of corn, and said: “Before, I was a street vendor, my legs got arthritis and I couldn’t walk. Now I have a permanent place to sell, it’s less difficult, I can endure any rain or wind.”

Cai Lon culvert at night.

Every day, Mrs. Phuong sells about 60 corns. On sunny days with many customers, she grills a few dozen more. The small temporary hut built by the roadside has become a familiar resting place for passersby. She said, watching the busy traffic passing through the culvert, she feels happy because her hometown has a new breath of life.

A few dozen meters away, Mrs. Le Kim Loan, residing in Hamlet 3, An Bien Commune, impressed everyone with her vermicelli noodle shop next to the road, which always had the fragrant smell of stir-fried shrimp paste. Mrs. Loan said: “My husband and I worked as construction workers in Phu Quoc for many years, and the contractor stole tens of millions of dong, leaving us with nothing. We were so discouraged that we returned to our hometown to start over.”

Her mother gave her a small piece of land along the new road connecting Cai Lon culvert to Lo 3 ​​hamlet, and Ms. Loan opened a vermicelli and sugarcane juice shop. “The shop was poor at first, but then more and more customers came by. Thanks to that, my husband and I were able to survive,” Ms. Loan said.

Le Kim Loan, resident of Hamlet 3, An Bien Commune, serves a hot bowl of vermicelli soup with crab soup to a customer.

Since the Cai Lon - Cai Be sewer system and the canalside traffic route were completed, the appearance of the countryside has changed completely. Where there used to be only reeds and mixed gardens, shops have sprung up side by side. Grocery stores, restaurants, pharmacies, and even large-scale shrimp seed stores have opened one after another. A new day is a bustling stream of people coming and going. Some transport fresh goods, others deliver shrimp seeds, trucks and buses come and go continuously. Everyone has a job, everyone sees opportunities right in their hometown.

A shrimp breeding business combined with fruits and vegetables is being built in Hamlet 2, An Bien Commune.

At Huong U restaurant, about a hundred meters from the culvert, the owner, Ms. Huong, quickly prepares fried rice and stir-fried noodles for customers. Ms. Huong said: “Before the road was built, I drove a cotton cart, selling vegetables, fish, and meat everywhere. The worst thing was going up the slope of the bridge, it was slippery when it rained. Now that the road is open and there are many customers, I rented a house and opened a restaurant. Every day, the profit is small, but steady, life is much better than before!”

Amidst the sound of passing vehicles and the wind blowing from the Cai Lon River, Ms. Huong smiled brightly, the smile of someone who has experienced enough hardships to understand the value of every penny earned today.

Agricultural products are sold by people at kiosks near the area at the foot of Cai Lon culvert.

Not only fragrant grilled corn or rich vermicelli soup, the specialty that attracts travelers to this culvert area on the Cai Lon - Cai Be culvert dike is the love of the villagers. If visitors happen to stop by a roadside cafe, the owner will run to the next shop to buy them a lunch box or a cup of coffee.

The conversation started with just a few questions, then extended to family, children, weather, as if they had known each other for a long time. The sweet voice, gentle smile and the way the people here treat guests, all make up the unique features of this land, simple, honest and strangely warm.

Many households have new livelihoods.

Late afternoon, the red sun set behind the rows of water coconut trees. The shadow of Cai Lon sewer stretched out on the calm water. The lights on both sides of the road lit up, reflecting like a golden silk strip across the river. At the foot of the sewer, Mrs. Phuong's voice selling grilled corn echoed, mixed with the smell of kitchen smoke, the cheerful laughter of the customers of Huong U restaurant, and the bustling sound of a countryside waking up.

The great Cai Lon - Cai Be Sluice not only prevents salinity and retains fresh water, but also opens up a way for livelihood and a prosperous smile for many people living in the surrounding area. At the place where water and land meet, between modern constructions and simple life, new vitality is shining every night like the light at the foot of the sluice, illuminating a countryside that is changing every day.

Article and photos: DANG LINH

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/cong-trinh-cong-cai-lon-cai-be-mo-ra-sinh-ke-cho-nguoi-dan-a463651.html