After nearly 5 years of implementing Program 1719: From achievements to breakthrough aspirations

A new, sturdy roof, a concrete road leading to the classroom, clean water to every household... are clear images of the changes in ethnic minority areas. This achievement comes after nearly 5 years of the whole country implementing Program 1719 (*) - the first program in history dedicated to ethnic minorities. With the joint efforts of the entire political system and the people, the Program has ignited faith and aspiration for a breakthrough future for sustainable development.

Ethnic minority children in Tri Ton commune, An Giang province, neat in uniform on their way to school. Photo: THANH LONG

Lesson 1: New road, new house, new livelihood

Mr. Chau Soc Sa, 65 years old, a prestigious person in O Lam commune, An Giang province, still clearly remembers the bumpy dirt roads in the village, which were dusty in the dry season and muddy in the rainy season. Now, asphalt roads, concrete roads, schools, and medical stations have been built. The people's lives are more prosperous than before. Mr. Soc Sa's story is also a general picture of changes in many ethnic minority areas thanks to the attention and investment of the Party and the State.

Clear road, convenient goods to market

Mr. Chau Soc Sa's house is in Phuoc Tho hamlet. Mr. Soc Sa recalls that the road to the hamlet was a path traveled by people, mainly dirt roads, rocky roads, dusty in the sun, muddy in the rain... People who wanted to bring agricultural products to the market to sell had to load them onto ox carts. Children going to school was equally difficult...

A series of investment programs for the development of ethnic minority areas have been implemented by the State. Rural roads are gradually being concreted and expanded... "The roads are clear, small trucks can go straight to the yard, agricultural products are purchased on site. Agricultural products are also conveniently transported to the commune market, wholesale markets... the lives of the people are increasingly developing. Children in the hamlet wear cleaner school uniforms when going to school by bicycle, electric motorbike..." - Mr. Soc Sa shared.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Ethnic Minorities and Religions , in the 2021-2025 period, in ethnic minority areas, the whole country has deployed investment support for over 6,000 rural traffic works serving production, business and people's lives; over 8,670km of roads have been asphalted, concreted or hardened; 442 power supply works serving daily life, production and business; renovated and repaired 183 commune health stations; supported equipment for 118 commune health stations; 225 commune health stations and 629 standard schools and classrooms; renovated and built 986 new small irrigation works...

In Can Tho, the city has deployed 218 infrastructure projects, including: 213 rural traffic projects, 5 community houses; invested in building 6 new projects and upgrading and renovating 9 market network projects; maintained 224 infrastructure projects... Mr. Luong Van Thom, 75 years old, in Thoi Truong 1 hamlet, Co Do commune, excitedly said: "In recent years, on the smooth concrete roads, the locality has also installed lights to ensure people's travel at night... Every morning, old people like me go to exercise early and feel more secure. Life has changed a lot now! Every house has a motorbike to travel, has a TV to listen to news and entertainment...".

Seizing the opportunity of developing transport infrastructure, Mr. Nguyen Trung Ha in Binh Thuy ward invested in a garden house in Dinh Mon commune. Mr. Ha said: “I have finished building a greenhouse to grow melons and am moving towards growing grapes. I have dug a pond to raise fish and built stilt houses… The ecological model I am aiming for is a motel, a place to eat, fish… to attract visitors from central wards to rest and relax during the day”.

From the component projects, Program 1719 has supported the construction of essential infrastructure works in the ethnic minority areas identified as “poor core” with particularly difficult socio-economic conditions. The invested works have contributed to the formation and connection of regional infrastructure, serving people’s lives, production activities, goods circulation, promoting increased access to basic social services, contributing to improving the quality of life of people and changing the face of ethnic minority areas.

Traffic in ethnic minority areas is developed, convenient for people to travel and buy and sell. In the photo: A corner of rural traffic in Thoi Truong 1 hamlet, Co Do commune, Can Tho city. Photo: THANH LONG

Solid roof, stable livelihood

Ms. Lam Hong Dao in Cai Tram A1 hamlet, Hoa Binh commune is one of nearly 700 poor ethnic minority households supported by Ca Mau province to build new houses. She shared: “Previously, my family lived in a dilapidated thatched house, leaking rain and scorching sun. For decades, I only wished to have a decent house. Now that the State has built a new house, I am so happy that I cried! This house is also the motivation for my family to strive to improve in life.”

Not far from Mrs. Dao's house, Mr. Tran Si Nha was also considered by the local authorities to build a new house. He said: "My family is poor, so for many years we have lived in a seriously degraded house. Every time there is a storm, the whole family is very worried! Thanks to the attention of the Party and the State, my family has a new, solid house to live in. This is a priceless gift, helping us to stabilize and have more determination to do business and move forward."

Not only supporting nearly 42,570 ethnic minority households with housing, with Program 1719, the whole country has supported residential land for 10,549 ethnic minority households; directly supported production land for 13,387 households; supported job conversion for nearly 54,900 households; supported dispersed domestic water for 479,358 households; invested in the construction of 809 centralized domestic water works... Besides, localities have arranged and stabilized residents for over 25,055 ethnic minority households, of which over 5,710 households are arranged in a centralized form; nearly 13,100 households are arranged in on-site residential arrangement and stabilization projects; over 5,110 households are arranged and stabilized residents in extremely difficult areas and other necessary areas; nearly 1,140 households are in border communes.

Mr. Huynh Thanh Binh's family, Khmer ethnic, residing in Kinh Dung B hamlet, Khanh Hung commune, Ca Mau province, was formerly a poor household. Thanks to support from a loan to convert production, he and his son opened a motorbike repair shop. When his son became proficient in the trade, he and his wife went to work for hire, rented land to grow rice, vegetables... "My family has escaped poverty and built a spacious house. I think, in addition to the State's support, we must also make efforts to escape poverty" - Mr. Binh shared.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Niem, Deputy Director of the Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religions of Ca Mau province, said: Program 1719 has helped poor and near-poor ethnic minority households stabilize their lives; supported job creation, and career conversion to suit the needs and conditions in the area of ​​residence. The program also supports livelihood solutions, creates opportunities to increase income... Thereby, people have more motivation to develop the economy and escape poverty.

New roads, new houses and new livelihoods have ignited the desire to escape poverty in each hamlet. The good news is that along with changes in infrastructure and livelihoods, the national cultural identity is still preserved and strongly spread. It is the cultural identity - the soft resource that nurtures and contributes to the sustainable development of ethnic minority areas.

(To be continued)

LE HA LY

Lesson 2: Cultural identity - soft resources contributing to sustainable development of ethnic minority areas

(*) Decision No. 1719/QD-TTg dated October 14, 2021 of the Prime Minister approving the National Target Program on Socio-Economic Development in Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas for the 2021-2030 period, Phase I: from 2021 to 2025.

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/sau-gan-5-nam-trien-khai-chuong-trinh-1719-tu-thanh-qua-den-khat-vong-but-pha-a191529.html