Military unit creates sustainable livelihoods for ethnic minority people

PANO - Implementing the national target program on socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas in the areas where they are stationed, over the past time, Defense Economic Unit 207 of Military Region 5 has effectively conducted the project “Economic and social development - soldiers associated with ethnic minorities and mountainous people” and “Poverty reduction model associated with national defense and security,” contributing to creating sustainable livelihoods to help ethnic minorities stabilize their life and reduce poverty.

Beauty of ethnic minority groups introduced in Hanoi

Traditional worship ritual of Jrai ethnic minority people

Financial aid for ethnic minority housing and land reclamation

Family of Ms. A Lang Nhip in Cong To Ron village, La Dee commune, Nam Giang district (Quang Nam province), is one of the needy households receiving breeding cows from Defense Economic Unit 207. The 35-year-old woman is facing difficult conditions, as her husband left her family. She is now living with two children and her old mother.

Touring one of the needy households receiving breeding cows from Defense Economic Unit 207

Therefore, the unit presented breeding cows and instructed her on how to take care of them. “I would like to send my sincere thanks to the troops for helping me. I promise to take good care of the cows so that I can have money to care for my old mother and create favorable conditions for my children to study.”

Reportedly, most of the poor and near-poor households in the ethnic minority areas in Quang Nam province mainly lack capital, sustainable livelihoods, and depend on the support of the government. Therefore, to reduce poverty, they should have their mindset changed, while following specific models.

The orange tree model helps ethnic minorities reduce poverty.

According to Second-in-Command of Defense Economic Unit 207 Lieutenant Colonel Hoang Thanh Hai, during the implementation of the “Economic and social development - soldiers associated with ethnic minorities and mountainous people” project and “Poverty reduction model associated with national defense and security,” the unit has closely worked with local authorities of the province’s Nam Giang, Tay Giang, and Phuoc Son districts, while promoting information dissemination in the areas to raise the needy households’ determination to do business.

So far, the unit has supported 642 households; handed over 240 breeding cows and 360 breeding pigs; planted 9,000 orange trees, five hectares of purple ginseng, and 10 hectares of sticky rice; creating jobs for many workers; instructed more than 700 locals on husbandry and cultivation techniques.

The unit’s project holds practical meanings, contributing to reducing the rate of poor households; restructuring crops and livestock production; exploiting the potential and strengths of land and labor force to develop household economy, and increase income for ethnic minorities. It also helps enhance people’s trust in the Party’s guideline, and State’s policies and laws.

Translated by Minh Anh

Tag(s): ethnic minority