The vitality of Tra Vinh (Part 1 - Mobilizing the strength of great solidarity)

Changing mindsets and eliminating poverty from ideology so that people can rise up and escape poverty on their own are important factors that Tra Vinh province has identified in its local poverty reduction efforts. To successfully achieve this goal, it must attract and gather the strength of the great solidarity bloc of ethnic groups, combined with other resources; including resources from VBSP.

Venerable Truong Van Bien - Abbot of Giong Lon Pagoda, together with officials of VBSP Tra Cu district (Tra Vinh) and local people of Cay Da hamlet, discussed the State's preferential credit policy to help people develop their economy

Policy Bridge

Directive No. 40-CT/TW of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Party emerged as a fresh breeze, changing both the mindset and actions of the entire political system. It deepened the humanitarian values and promoted socio-economic growth. This directive is also a concrete step in realizing President Ho Chi Minh's guidance on ethnic policy: “Promote equality, assist each other among ethnic groups to move forward together towards socialism”.

After 10 years of implementing Directive No. 40-CT/TW, the living standards of the Khmer ethnic people in Tra Vinh province, particularly in Tra Cu district, have significantly improved. In addition to benefiting from the Party and State’s policies, the people together with respected individuals and Khmer monks, have become bridges to bring these policies closer to the community.

Teacher Son Ngoc Minh is an example. He is a teacher at Ham Giang B Primary School, Dai An Commune, Tra Cu District. For many years, he and over 40 teachers, including educators and monks from Giong Lon Pagoda in Cay Da Hamlet, Dai An Commune, have voluntarily taught the Khmer language to students in the area. Here, besides teaching language and culture, during sermons, Venerable Truong Van Bien – the abbot of Giong Lon Pagoda – also instructs followers and students about the relationship between religion and life. He particularly reminds each Buddhist follower to cultivate their mind daily but not to forget the duty of economic development. The poor and near-poor families can take loans from VBSP.

"Thanks to those teaching sessions at the pagoda, I learned more about the preferential loan programs of VBSP; I encouraged my relatives to boldly apply for loans. As a result, two of my nephews have received policy loans for labor export, and they have already sent their first salaries home to help their families overcome difficulties", said Mr. Son Ngoc Minh.

Indeed, the wave of renewal and the thirst for progress have become evident in the joyful eyes of the Buddhist followers. The people are delighted to receive financial support from VBSP, creating jobs, generating income, and improving their standard of living. Everyone is united, helping each other and advancing together... This is the crucial foundation for Dai An to achieve new rural standards.

Igniting the Thirst for Renewal

With policy support from the Party and State, encouragement from all levels, religious dignitaries, and respected individuals in the community, and timely assistance from preferential policy capital, the Khmer people have developed a growing desire for renewal, aspiring to enrich themselves and their homeland.

Dai An, a commune where 71.5% of the population is Khmer, no longer bears the marks of a particularly difficult commune under Program 135 (Decision No. 2405/QD-TTg). Instead, Dai An is now full of vitality and potential, leveraging its economic advantages tied to the sea. Even Cay Da Hamlet, one of two hamlets retained for continued investment under Program 135 during the 2016–2020 period after Dai An was removed from the list of disadvantaged communes in 2015, has experienced transformation since Directive No. 40/CT-TW spread throughout the hamlet.

Mr. Nguyen Truong Tam, Chairman of the Dai An Commune People’s Committee, shared: “Since becoming a member of the Board of Directors of VBSP in Tra Cu District, I have always regarded it as a very important responsibility. From there, I have focused on directing the dissemination of policies and laws of the State, particularly credit policies in the commune, so that the people can access the funds and align them with the commune's economic restructuring directions for effective production and livestock raising”.

In particular, to ensure the policies deeply penetrate into daily life, the commune has mobilized respected individuals to participate in propaganda efforts, encouraging ethnic people to support each other in economic development. Among them are two chief monks presiding over two Khmer Theravada pagodas in the commune.

Mr. Tran Keo, Head of the Management Board of Giong Lon Pagoda, added: “In the past, the biggest challenge for the lives of Buddhist followers in the area was capital. Therefore, in addition to encouraging followers to comply with the Party's guidelines and State laws, we have cooperated with the Commune Party Committee, the People’s Committee and VBSP to propagate policies and loan programs. Particularly on the full moon days and the 30th of each month, about 300 followers come to the pagoda – a great opportunity for us to spread information about policies and examples of people overcoming poverty through policy loans. As a result, local people are now boldly applying for loans to raise livestock, fish, build houses, or export labor".

Duc Kien