Cham Islam Community: Joining hands to preserve the living environment, escaping poverty together

Over the years, with the attention of the government and the support of the Fatherland Front , Cham Islam people have not only strived to overcome difficulties in life, but also proactively participated in environmental protection models and poverty reduction in the locality.

From small tasks such as cleaning up after Friday mass, to planting flowers along the roadside, mobilizing to light up rural roads or changing production practices, the Cham Islam community is gradually contributing to building a green - clean - civilized residential area, developing household economy .

There are about 4,000 Cham people living in the province.

There are currently about 4,000 Cham people living in Tay Ninh province, concentrated in 7 areas of Tan Chau, Tan Bien districts and Tay Ninh city. In addition, there are some small groups scattered in Tri Binh commune (Chau Thanh district) and Tan Hoa commune (Tan Chau district). The majority of people live on farming or seasonal work, a few work as workers in industrial parks; although life has gradually stabilized, many households still face difficulties.

As a community with its own beliefs, all Cham people in Tay Ninh follow Islam and practice their religion under the guidance of the Provincial Islamic Community Representative Board. Over the past years, with the attention of Party committees at all levels, the government, the Fatherland Front and mass organizations, the Cham Islam people have been given the opportunity to settle down, maintain their religious lifestyle and integrate more and more deeply into social life.

From support for residential land, production land, clean water, healthcare, education to poverty reduction policies, each household in the community has gradually accessed practical resources to improve their lives. Since then, people's trust in the leadership of the Party, the management of the government and the connecting role of the Fatherland Front has been increasingly strengthened, creating a foundation for the spirit of solidarity and contribution to building the homeland.

Starting from the pilot model at Tan Trung A Hamlet Mosque (Tan Hung Commune, Tan Chau District), environmental protection work in the Cham Islam community has gradually been concretized through practical actions closely linked to daily religious life. The Mosque Management Board coordinated with the Fatherland Front at the grassroots level to organize propaganda and mobilize people to change their living habits, eliminate littering, burn garbage near their homes, not place barns close to their residences, actively participate in garbage collection, and build standard toilets.

It is worth noting that the campaign does not stop at propaganda sessions but is integrated into religious ceremonies. Every Friday afternoon, after the main mass, dignitaries spend time reminding followers to practice civilized living and maintain hygiene inside and outside the residential area. From there, a regular routine is formed: "clean house - clean kitchen - clean alley", connecting religion and life, between belief and community responsibility.

Thanks to the spread of that spirit, up to now, other churches in the province have responded. People not only preserve the landscape of their places of worship but also proactively plant flowers along the roadside, plant trees around their houses, use clean water and do not use items that are harmful to the environment. Awareness of environmental protection is no longer a slogan but has become a concrete action, closely linked to the religious and cultural life of the community.

Along with environmental protection, poverty reduction in the Cham Islam community is also implemented in many flexible forms, suitable for real life. Through capital sources from the Central and local levels, many households are supported with housing, land for production, health care, access to education and clean water. More importantly, people are also encouraged to change their backward farming, livestock and living habits, thereby improving production efficiency and income.

Education is of concern in the Cham Islam community, contributing to sustainable poverty reduction.

In particular, the spirit of mutual love is preserved and strongly promoted in the community. On every occasion of Ramadhan, Hajj or Qurban (offering), the Islamic Community Representative Board mobilizes domestic and foreign donors to support hundreds of millions of VND to give gifts to the poor and lonely elderly. This work not only has material value but also serves as a spiritual support for many households to overcome difficult times.

A specific example is the program “Lighting up the Countryside” in Cham hamlet, Tan Trung A hamlet, where people have raised more than 100 million VND to install electricity and lights on three roads. Not only beautifying the appearance of the residential area, lighting also contributes to ensuring security and order, demonstrating the spirit of caring together, working together, and developing together.

Mr. Cham En - Deputy Head of the Provincial Islamic Community Representative Board shared: "For us, religion is not only a ritual, but also a way of life, a responsible life, a life of sharing, knowing how to preserve and cultivate common values for the community. It is from this change in awareness that the spirit of community solidarity is increasingly strengthened, and people are also assured to work and produce to escape poverty."

From the environmental protection model to the journey of hunger eradication and poverty reduction, the persistent efforts of the Cham Islam community in Tay Ninh not only contribute to improving the quality of life but also clearly demonstrate the role of ethnic minorities in the cause of building their homeland.

Hoa Khang - Khai Tuong

Source: https://baotayninh.vn/cong-dong-cham-islam-chung-tay-gin-giu-moi-truong-song-cung-nhau-thoat-ngheo-a191793.html