For locals, the rainy season has long been a source of dread, passed down through generations. When the heavy rains arrived, makeshift homes of bamboo and cracked earthen walls could barely withstand the elements. The ground would become soaked, roofs would leak, and winds howled, forcing families to huddle around the fire. Clothes stayed damp, and children suffered lingering coughs from the cold.
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The armed forces join hands to support people in eliminating makeshift and dilapidated houses. |
Gia Mi Po, from Xeo Ho village, Son Vi commune, recalled nights when heavy rain flooded their sleeping area. He and his wife would clutch their child and sit huddled near the fire.
Stories like Po’s were once common across the highlands. Meo Vac was home to hundreds of poor and near-poor families living in unsafe, makeshift shelters. With lives full of hardship, the dream of a safe, solid house felt out of reach for many.
That’s why the Prime Minister’s program to eradicate makeshift and dilapidated houses for poor households in Meo Vac is more than just a social welfare policy. It is a timely and practical lifeline for border residents.
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Brick houses now stand in place of temporary ones in Can Chu Phin commune (Meo Vac, Ha Giang). |
The district mobilized its entire political system to implement the program. As of May 2025, 222 new homes had been completed and handed over. Of these, 218 were newly-built, and 4 were repaired and reinforced to withstand storms and heavy rains. These houses not only helped people settle down but also stood as vivid evidence of the Party and State’s care for the people.
“I never dared to dream of a house like this. I thought I’d be stuck in a torn-up tent for life. Now we have a real home, my children can sleep and study properly. I’m deeply grateful to the soldiers and local authorities,” said Gia Mi Po.
In Meo Qua village, Can Chu Phin commune, 38 new houses have just been built for the H’mong community. According to Gia Mi Ho, secretary of the village’s Party cell, nearly all villagers once lived in bamboo huts or rotting wooden homes. Now, thanks to the program, they have safe, warm, and solid shelters, allowing them to live with greater peace of mind and focus on making a living.
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Many new houses are built in border areas in the rainy season. |
Thanks to the humane policy of the Party, the dedication of Uncle Ho’s soldiers, and the support of the political system, new homes are rising in remote areas. They stand as living proof of a sacred promise “In the border areas of the Fatherland, the will of the people is the most solid fortress.”
Translated by Quynh Oanh