At the age of 80, Mr. Cuong still earns 200 million VND per year from his garden and forest.

“Despite his old age, Mr. Cuong is always exemplary and enthusiastic in local movements. His diligence and optimism have inspired our younger generation to follow,” Ms. Ho Thi Suon, Deputy Secretary of the Nam Dong Commune Youth Union, shared as she led us down the small path leading to Mr. Cuong’s house.

Mr. Cuong was busy in the garden where the flowers were in full bloom. “My children told me to rest, but I can’t stand sitting still,” Mr. Cuong said in a clear voice.

Before 1975, he participated in the resistance war against the US to save the country. After the country was reunified, he continued to serve the locality, holding many important positions such as Party Secretary and Chairman of the People's Committee of Thuong Nhat Commune. In 2000, he retired, but he did not choose to be leisurely and comfortable with his children and grandchildren but continued to devote himself to social work, especially to the Association of the Elderly of Thuong Nhat Commune (old). For more than 10 years as Chairman of the Association, he was always energetic, responsible and a shining example of labor and production.

“Old people should not rest all day. As long as they have the strength, they should continue to work and set an example. The older they get, the higher their ambitions. They must live in a way that their children and grandchildren can look up to and learn from,” Mr. Cuong affirmed.

Currently, he and his wife still take care of 10 hectares of acacia and 2 hectares of rubber trees being exploited. In the garden around the house, bananas, jackfruit, pineapple, eggplants... are intercropped and harvested year-round. When he was still healthy, he used to build a large livestock farm with dozens of cows and goats roaming the hillsides. Now that he is weaker, he has switched to small-scale farming with about 100 chickens and ducks, both serving family meals and sharing with neighbors.

What he is concerned about is not age or health, but the role and spirit of the elderly in society. Before the merger, Thuong Nhat commune had 206 elderly people, of which 160 were members of the Elderly Association. As Chairman of the Association, he always "ignited the fire", encouraging everyone to be self-reliant, live healthy and useful lives.

Mr. Cuong always encourages members, if they are still healthy and have land conditions, not to hesitate to continue working and producing. The love of work emanating from the way he lives and works every day has spread, inspiring many old men and women in the association. "Here, there is no shortage of elderly people who are good at doing business, " Mr. Cuong smiled gently and recounted in detail: such as Mr. Nguyen Thanh Phia, 73 years old, who succeeded with an organic pig farming model; or Mr. Ho Van Duong, 78 years old, who built a model of raising chickens and ducks combined with growing bananas, jackfruit, pineapples... for a stable income, a comfortable life in old age.

Not only is he a role model in work, Mr. Cuong also actively encourages members to participate in social activities, contributing to maintaining security and order, and building cultural life in the village. In particular, he always cares about the health of the elderly, because according to him, "if we are healthy, our spirit will be strong, we will be able to spread positive energy, and we will be a spiritual support for our children and grandchildren in the family."

Mr. Cuong's day starts early in the morning. He tends to the garden, feeds the chickens and ducks, and then gets busy with the elders in the association discussing village and neighborhood matters. He lives happily and usefully every day, setting an example for his children and grandchildren to follow.

Mr. Vo Van Don, Head of the Economic Department of Nam Dong Commune commented, “Mr. Ho Van Cuong is an active person in association work, and is also diligent in working and producing.” For many years, Mr. Cuong has been recognized and rewarded by authorities at all levels for his many contributions to the community.

Article and photos: LE HA

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/kinh-te/tuoi-cao-chi-cang-cao-156590.html