Rebuilding roofs, building trust - Part 1: Cities without crooked roofs

Completing 100% of the target of eliminating temporary and dilapidated houses ahead of schedule, Ho Chi Minh City not only leads the country in progress but is also a model in mobilizing people's strength and connecting social resources. 1,222 spacious houses were built from more than 70 billion VND contributed from many sources, a clear demonstration of the strength of a city of humanity, leaving no one out of the development process.

Editor's note: The Government 's strong direction is to complete the elimination of temporary and dilapidated houses nationwide before August 31, 2025, and for those with meritorious services before July 27, 2025. This is not only an administrative target, but also a program of action imbued with humanity, demonstrating the morality of "When drinking water, remember its source" and the spirit of sharing of the nation. Rebuilding houses also contributes to fostering faith in humanity, in the strength of solidarity, sharing, and companionship of the community and of Party committees and authorities at all levels.

Lives are settled

Coming to the small house in Hamlet 3, Hung Long Commune, nearly 30km from the center of Ho Chi Minh City, is like returning to a quiet countryside, where life flows quietly beside the green rice fields. On the small stone road, Mr. Pham Hong Nhan's house stands out in the neighborhood: newly painted green walls, clean tiled floors, sturdy corrugated iron roof. Mr. Nhan is bending over to wipe each tile in front of the door. Despite having stage 4 kidney disease, he still meticulously takes care of his home. It is the lifelong dream of him and his wife, a roof that is no longer dilapidated, rebuilt in January 2025 thanks to the city's program to eliminate temporary and dilapidated houses.

The joy of Ms. Nguyen Thu Hong, living on Au Duong Lan Street (Chanh Hung Ward, HCMC) when receiving her new house. Photo: THAI PHUONG

When he was diagnosed with severe kidney disease, Mr. Nhan had to undergo regular dialysis every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at Binh Tan Hospital. All the burden of earning a living fell on the shoulders of his wife, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Hong Nhung, while their son was still in school. Every day, Mrs. Nhung woke up at 3am to help sell goods at Cay Trom market.

When we visited the house, Mrs. Nhung was at the market, Mr. Nhan was cleaning the house and waiting for his wife to come home for lunch. With a happy look in his eyes, he told about the first Tet in the new house, about the family meals together on the cool, shady tile floor. When he first discovered his illness, thinking about his wife and children living miserably in a rickety house, his heart ached. Once when he returned home after a kidney dialysis session, he wrote a petition to the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of the commune, asking for support to repair the house: "I just hope that if anything happens, my wife and children will still have a decent place to live and not have to worry like I did."

That wish was recognized and promptly supported by the local government. After only a few months, the new house was built, not only a place to shelter from the sun and rain, but also a ray of light opening up a more stable future for the whole family. Although he still travels three times a week for dialysis, although life is still full of hardships, Mr. Nhan's smile every time he mentions his "dream house" makes us understand more: Settling down is the beginning of all motivation.

Mr. Pham Hong Nhan (Hung Long commune, Ho Chi Minh City) cleans each tile in the dream house of the couple. Photo: CAM NUONG

It has been several months since the house handover, but the warm, joyful atmosphere still lingers in the small house at 305/9 Tung Thien Vuong, Phu Dinh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City. The owner of the house is Mr. Nguyen Van Hue, an 87-year-old veteran. "From now on, there is no need to worry about rain leaks, no need to fear water flooding into the house anymore," he beamed with joy. Mr. Hue was born in the resilient Dong Khoi area, his childhood was associated with the image of his father who was away on the battlefield and his mother who worked hard to hide soldiers. Those things soon ignited in him the will to take up arms and fight, following in his father's footsteps. In 1968, he was captured by the enemy and went through harsh months of imprisonment. When the country was liberated, he brought his family to Ho Chi Minh City to start a business, continuing to contribute in many different roles in District 8 (formerly).

However, his family of 6 used to be poor, living in an old tin-roofed house with a floor 0.3m lower than the road surface. Every time it rained, water from outside flooded in, and water from the sewer also flowed back up, making the house look like a small pond. The house walls were rotten, the wooden floors were infested with termites, and were seriously degraded, posing many potential dangers. When the Management Board of the Fund for the Poor in Phu Dinh Ward (formerly Xom Cui Ward, District 8) visited, understanding the family's situation, they called for a contribution of 50 million VND to help him repair the house. "We are very happy to receive the support. This is not only a renovated house but also the care and heart of the Party, the State and the locality," Mr. Hue was moved. In the new house, he is more confident in the good values of life today.

Happiness spreads in the new house

“Miss Qui, are you home?”, a familiar voice called out from outside the door. Ms. Ngo Nguyet Qui (over 60 years old, Chinese ethnic minority, living in Phu Dinh ward) recognized the voice of Mr. Nguyen Huu Thong, an expert at the ward Party Committee Office, who was formerly the Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Xom Cui ward, District 8.

Mr. Nguyen Van Hue, an 87-year-old veteran, next to his sturdy house that has just received support for repairs. Photo: THU HOAI

Mrs. Qui enthusiastically welcomed him into the house. In Mr. Thong's hand was a small gift bag, which made her shy: "You brought gifts for my aunt and niece again. As a benefactor of the family, your visit is already very precious...". At the end of 2024, while handing over a repaired house in alley 87 Phong Phu, Mr. Thong saw Mrs. Qui's house in serious disrepair. A makeshift roof, rotten corrugated iron walls, cracked wooden ceiling, and tangled electricity, was the shelter of an elderly woman taking care of two disabled grandchildren. Without help, a more decent house would remain beyond Mrs. Qui's dream. So instead of supporting gifts, he quietly worked with the neighborhood to support Mrs. Qui with a "new roof". From raising funds, finding sponsors, to solving complicated legal procedures (because the homeowner had passed away, Mrs. Qui did not know Vietnamese, and did not have the qualifications to apply for permission), he persevered step by step. By Lunar New Year 2025, the new, spacious house was completed and handed over to Mrs. Qui with unspeakable emotion.

Born and raised in an area with a large Chinese population, having lived in poverty and receiving help from the community, Mr. Thong understands the silent struggles that people here have to overcome every day. It is this empathy that has motivated him to stick with social security work, caring for each situation, each home. “When a house construction or repair project is handed over, seeing the house more spacious, the recipient's family happily eating a warm meal together and promising to strive to improve in life, I feel that happiness spreading to me. From there, I have more motivation to continue trying to fulfill my duties well,” Mr. Thong expressed.

Sweet fruit of love from the people

At the end of 2024, Ho Chi Minh City recorded 129 poor households and 196 near-poor households in urgent need of building and repairing houses. The city then set a goal of completing the program of eliminating temporary and dilapidated houses for these subjects by the end of 2025. Less than half a year later, Ho Chi Minh City reached the finish line early, before April 30, 2025, completing the construction and repair of 1,222 houses for the poor, near-poor and meritorious families facing difficulties in housing. The total implementation cost was more than 70 billion VND, completely mobilized from socialized sources, through the Vietnam Fatherland Front system, socio- political organizations, banks and accompanying units and businesses in the area.

According to Ms. Duong Thi Huyen Tram, Head of the Social Work Department, Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, this is the result of a long-term and drastic strategy in social security work. With the spirit of "leaving no one behind", Ho Chi Minh City identifies housing care for the poor as a core task, associated with the process of urban beautification and building a sustainable and humane city. Of which, 323 houses were supported for repair from the mobilized funds of the Vietnam Fatherland Front of Ho Chi Minh City; 899 houses were implemented by the Fatherland Front of the districts, wards, communes and other organizations in coordination. The movement "Joining hands to eliminate temporary and dilapidated houses" is not only a housing construction campaign, but also a journey connecting thousands of hearts, hundreds of organizations with the same humane goal: improving the quality of life for people, spreading humanity in the community.

More than just numbers, it is a clear demonstration of the strength of solidarity, the ability to gather resources of the entire political system and the typical kindness of Ho Chi Minh City - always pioneering with specific and practical actions.

PV GROUP

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/xay-lai-mai-nha-boi-dap-niem-tin-bai-1-do-thi-khong-con-mai-nha-xieu-veo-post808087.html