Every weekend, in Cap Ven hamlet, Muong Va commune, members of the unit’s Production Team No.2 work with villagers to clean the environment, clear drainage ditches, and collect pre-sorted waste at designated points. “We used to dispose of pesticide bottles and containers into fields and waterways,” shared Quang Thi Thien, a local person. “Thanks to the soldiers’ instruction, we now know how to collect and sort waste properly. Our village and fields are much cleaner.”
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Disseminating laws to local people |
When the unit first arrived, the poverty rate exceeded 90%, some communes had 100% poor households. “When people are struggling to feed themselves, environmental protection is not a priority,” said Senior Colonel Dinh Minh Khue, leader of Defense-Economic Unit 326. Accordingly, the unit prioritized dual missions: helping locals reduce poverty and raising awareness about environmental protection.
Troops and young intellectual volunteers were sent to villages to grasp the local situation, educate people on Party policies and laws, and promote the building of new-style rural areas, among others. Over the past years, their support has helped reduce the poverty rate by 4-5% annually.
Quang Van Tieu, Permanent Deputy Secretary of the Sop Cop district’s Party Committee, held, “This area was once known for having “many nos” - no roads, no schools, no stations, and no clean water. Now, from the district center to the communes, we have year-round accessible roads; 93.3% of households have access to safe electricity. Meanwhile, social welfare and poverty reduction policies have been implemented in a timely manner, reducing the poverty rate to just over 30%. There have been significant positive changes in cultural and social development, with 12 out of 21 schools meeting national standards, all 8 communes meeting national health standards, and 100% of the population enrolled in health insurance as planned. These achievements are largely due to the contribution of the officers and soldiers of Defense-Economic Unit 326.”
As local people’s basic needs have been addressed, awareness of hygiene and the environment has gradually been raised. In addition to assisting in economic development and sustainable poverty reduction, the troops volunteer intellectuals of the unit, have also visited remote border villages to encourage and instruct local people in maintaining sanitary living conditions. They have helped build proper animal husbandry facilities, established hygiene systems away from living spaces, and promoted the use of livestock manure to fertilize crops for better yields. Importantly, they have also taught villagers how to sort, collect, and dispose of household waste.
Currently, all communes in the area have installed waste bins at designated collection points. Most people now know how to sort and manage waste at home and in public areas. Each month, officers and soldiers of the unit also actively participate in cleaning the environment, and help build toilets and dig waste disposal pits. These actions contribute to improving both the living environment and local people’s living quality.
With the active support of Defense-Economic Unit 326 and the timely attention and investment of local Party committees and authorities, currently 100% of villages in Sop Cop district have built 2-3 concrete tanks to collect used pesticide packaging, more than 95% of households have sanitary toilets, and livestock is no longer kept under houses. Troops also help families grow flowers, creating vibrant color and fresh air in the remote borderland of Sop Cop. These efforts are transforming the appearance of the district.
Translated by Minh Anh