Imprints of Program 1719 in the mountainous commune of Phuoc Tan

Phuoc Tan is a particularly disadvantaged commune of Son Hoa district, with 92.3% of the population being ethnic minorities such as Cham, Ede, Ba Na, Ja Rai, Tay... The whole commune has 145 poor households, 226 near-poor households, accounting for over 58% of the total households in the commune. In recent years, along with other ethnic programs and policies, the National Target Program on Socio-Economic Development of Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas for the 2021-2025 period has contributed to improving living conditions and raising the status of ethnic minorities in the commune.

Program 1719 helps change the appearance and improve the status of ethnic minorities in Phuoc Tan commune. Photo: NGO XUAN

The joy of poor people

Mr. La Mo Nhuoc in Phuoc Tan commune is excited because he has just completed the final stages of his new house. The small house with an area of ​​nearly ^50m2 , with 2 bedrooms and 1 living room, has been his family's dream for many years. The house was built at a cost of 170 million VND; of which he received more than 40 million VND from the State and a loan of 40 million VND with low interest rates. Not only does La Mo Nhuoc have a new house, his family is also supported with a water tank to ensure a clean water source for use.

Having a new house is also an unexpected joy for Ms. Kpa Thi Truong in Gia Tru hamlet, Phuoc Tan commune. In 2018, Ms. Truong's husband passed away from illness. She worked hard everywhere to earn money to raise her children, not daring to think about building a solid house. She shared: When my husband got a serious illness, all the money in the family was spent on his treatment. After my husband passed away, my children had to take care of each other, leaving me to work everywhere to earn money to raise my children and pay off my debts. The old house was dilapidated, making me feel uneasy every time I worked away from home. This year, with financial support from the State, I borrowed more money to build a small house for my children to have a stable place to live. After the house is completed, I will go to Ho Chi Minh City to work to earn money to pay off my debts and try to send my children to school.

Mr. La Mo Nhuoc and Ms. Kpa Thi Truong are just two of many ethnic minority households receiving support from projects and sub-projects under the National Target Program on Socio-Economic Development in Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas for the 2021-2025 period (Program 1719) being implemented in Phuoc Tan commune.

According to the People's Committee of Phuoc Tan commune, in the period of 2021-2025, Program 1719 supported the construction of houses for 56 poor households, supported job conversion for 108 households, and supported decentralized domestic water for 94 households. The program also invested in 3 centralized domestic water works, 2 production development projects, diversified community livelihoods, and supported the protection of 1,280 hectares of natural forests for the community. From the capital sources of Program 1719, the locality also invested in new, repaired, and upgraded 32 essential infrastructure works to serve production and people's lives, including 13 traffic works, 4 community cultural houses, 7 upgraded and repaired classrooms, 7 irrigation works, 3 upgraded and repaired self-flowing water systems, and 1 project to build a village cultural house. The projects have contributed to changing the appearance and improving the lives of people in Phuoc Tan commune.

Enhancing the status of ethnic minorities

According to the People's Committee of Phuoc Tan Commune, the main beneficiaries of Program 1719 are poor and near-poor households, ethnic minorities, women and children. Therefore, all projects and sub-projects under Program 1719 focus on investing in poor households and ethnic minorities in all areas, from economy , society, education, health care for people... In particular, investing and upgrading infrastructure combined with support for production tools, creating livelihoods, and changing jobs will help ethnic minorities receive comprehensive support, thereby helping to enhance the role and position of ethnic minorities in the community and society.

Specifically, in terms of economy, the projects aim to support production, career change, help people increase income, and sustainably reduce poverty. The program also provides plant and animal varieties, production support, and agricultural tools to increase the value of agricultural products. In addition, investment in transport infrastructure, irrigation, electricity and water, etc. also helps people have access to essential services as well as promote production development.

Program 1719, implemented in the period of 2021-2025 in Phuoc Tan commune, has contributed to improving the lives, ensuring social security as well as enhancing the role and position of ethnic minorities. Many difficulties in infrastructure have been resolved; many temporary houses have been eliminated; many poor and near-poor households have risen out of poverty. The lives of ethnic minorities in the commune have been comprehensively changed.

Mr. La O Duoc, Vice Chairman of People's Committee of Phuoc Tan Commune

In terms of society, the program focuses on poor and near-poor households, helping them improve their quality of life and preserve traditional cultural values ​​of ethnic groups. In particular, the program also creates motivation and opportunities for ethnic minorities to participate more deeply in economic development models and high-value production chains; encourages the participation of women and vulnerable groups, contributing to reducing discrimination and inequality in society.

Ms. La O Thi Dui in Gia Tru village, Phuoc Tan commune said: Previously, my family was supported with a cow, and was instructed on how to care for it and prevent diseases, so every year the cow reproduced regularly. Thanks to this cow, my family was able to save money to rebuild the house and send the children to school. By the end of 2024, my family moved from poor to near-poor. This year, I was supported with another cow from Program 1719. Thanks to my previous experience in caring for cows, I am very confident in receiving breeding cows; at the same time, I also support other women in the village to develop the economy with a model of breeding cows. I believe that if the breeding goes well, my family will soon escape near-poverty.

Mr. La O Duoc, Vice Chairman of Phuoc Tan Commune People's Committee, said: Phuoc Tan Commune has 639 households, with 2,615 people. Of which, ethnic minority households account for over 92.3%. The whole commune has 145 poor households, 226 near-poor households, all of whom are ethnic minorities. In 2024, the average income per capita will reach 16.87 million VND/person/year.

In recent years, along with the support programs and policies of the Party and the State, the Party Committee and People's Committee of Phuoc Tan commune have mobilized all resources; integrated investment projects to build infrastructure, programs and policies for ethnic minority areas to increase support for poor and near-poor households in the commune in all areas such as: investing in the construction of traffic works, lighting, schools, medical stations; policies to support poor and near-poor households; production development projects, replicating sustainable poverty reduction models; supporting education, eliminating temporary housing... In particular, the implementation of Program 1719 has made an important contribution to economic development, ensuring social security, reducing poverty quickly and sustainably; gradually reducing the number of villages and households with special difficulties, significantly improving the lives of the people, especially ethnic minorities.

Source: https://baophuyen.vn/dan-toc-mien-nui/202506/dau-an-chuong-trinh-1719-taixa-vung-cao-phuoc-tan-4963d43/