Story of union members overcoming difficulties and making a living from coffee in the hills of the Northwest

TPO - Not choosing a smooth path, Giang A Sai - a young union member in Toa Tinh commune (Tuan Giao district, Dien Bien province) has persevered through initial failures to build his own coffee growing model in the mountains. With a progressive spirit and self-reliance, he has not only escaped poverty but also become a fulcrum to spread the entrepreneurial spirit among young people in the highlands.

From patient commune cadres

Giang A Sai was born into a poor farming family in the Toa Tinh highlands. In 2012, after failing the university entrance exam, the Mong boy did not give up his dream of studying but chose a detour: studying at a secondary school and then continuing to university. While his friends had stable jobs, he continued to study and work diligently, step by step pursuing the path he had chosen.

After graduating from the Office Administration College in 2014, he applied to work as a part-time officer at Toa Tinh Commune as Deputy Chief of Commune Police. Six years of working in difficult conditions and with little allowance did not discourage him. He continued to take the entrance exam and passed the Thai Nguyen University exam, majoring in Office Administration, and in 2020, with a bachelor's degree in hand, he decided to stay in his hometown and take on the task of being an officer of the Commune Party Committee's office.

Mr. Giang A Sai and the green dream among the hills of Toa Tinh.

“There is a lot of work at the Party Committee office, especially when I am not a full-time cadre. Sometimes I have to take on the work of the higher-level Party building committees alone. But I think that if I choose to return to the village, I have to stick with it and truly contribute,” he confided.

To the daring farmer

While living and working locally, Giang A Sai realized that if he only relied on the income from allowances, it would be difficult to stabilize his family life. With that in mind, he began to look for a new direction: switching from growing corn to growing coffee - a crop that was not popular in this area at that time, but he believed in its long-term potential.

In 2019, he tried planting the first 2,000 square meters of coffee. "At first, I just learned from the previous households, then gradually I proactively learned through the internet, books and newspapers and registered for training courses organized by the District Agricultural Service Center. Some courses were also coordinated with agricultural and forestry research institutes, so I learned many valuable things," he recounted.

By 2021, the first coffee garden began to yield harvests. More confident, he boldly borrowed money from the bank to expand production. Currently, he is cultivating about 1.2 hectares of coffee, each year yielding about 20 tons of fresh coffee. Thanks to good coffee prices, in 2024 his family was able to build a new house, officially escaping poverty, having better conditions and gradually moving towards sustainable development. This year, Giang A Sai continues to expand the model to 2 hectares and plans to plant another 1 hectare next year.

His family built a new, spacious house in 2024 thanks to coffee trees.

Spreading poverty alleviation model

As a member of the Youth Union, Giang A Sai not only takes care of his family but also actively spreads the new economic model to the youth in the commune. He and the Youth Union organize digging holes, instructing young people on coffee planting and care techniques who intend to follow. With the experiences learned through practice and training, he is willing to share and provide free advice to anyone who wants to start.

Commenting on her example as a youth union cadre, Ms. Le Thi Nu - Deputy Secretary of Tuan Giao District Youth Union said: "Giang A Sai is a typical example of a highland youth who dares to think and dares to do. His initiative to find an economic direction from his own land and then share it with other young people is very valuable. We hope to replicate this model in other difficult communes."

Mr. Sai grows coffee seedlings himself and prepares to expand the model.

With a simple voice and calm eyes, Giang A Sai talks about his journey as if it were a very normal thing. But for many people, that story is a process of overcoming oneself, overcoming the limits of circumstances.

As one of the examples of Youth Union members who have worked hard to escape poverty, Sai always has a thought in mind: "For me, nothing is difficult, I only fear that my heart is not strong enough. If young people do not dare to try, do not learn and act, they will stay in the same place. We have to change for the village to change."

From the steep Toa Tinh hill, the young Mong man Giang A Sai and his fellow villagers are planting a special seed in addition to coffee. That is the belief in youth and the spirit of never giving up.

Rose

Source: https://tienphong.vn/chuyen-ve-doan-vien-vuot-kho-lam-kinh-te-tu-ca-phe-tren-nui-doi-tay-bac-post1754084.tpo