Veterans Association of Vinh An Town helps its members to overcome difficulties

Chairman Duong Minh Hoang visits a porcupine breeding establishment

Chairman of the Association Duong Minh Hoang said that the Association had 268 members in 2001 with 250 households of which 60 ones are poor. Most poor members are those who experienced 2 resistance wars but then did not enjoy preferential treatment. On the other hand, due to the fact that they are old and in bad health, they have to face a lot of difficulties in their daily life. Many poor households had to live in 4-level houses, even in temporary houses with thatched roof and earthen wall.

Therefore, in September 2001, the Veterans Association of Vinh An town set up the resolution on encouraging members to make rich and reduce poverty. He expressed “we have encouraged each other to reduce the poverty. We used to be the soldiers who bravely overcame many difficulties to win glorious victory in the past 2 resistant wars so do we now”. Then, the emulation movement of production and business, applying technology and science into breeding and cultivation was launched. In addition to the movement, the Association also provided loan support for 60 poor members with a total cost of VND240 million. As such, 20 households got rid of poverty. Moreover, the Association joined hands with Binh Da Knitting Cooperative to provide training courses and job creation for the poor. Together with the farmers’ Union of the town, the agriculture office of the district held a seminar to transfer techniques and supply agricultural materials to help poor households do business. Members were also provided loans each year with a total cost of VND1-2 billion. 

Poor households helped each other to exchange seeds, breeding food and fertilizers. The members who succeed in production and breeding often exchange and share their experience with each other, expressing the solidarity of soldiers.

Based on the creative and venturesome spirit, the movement has gained encouraging results with a lot of effective production and business models. In particular, 20/80 poor households had the scale farm of 5-30ha, profiting VND100-300 million each year. 50 households applied the VAC model with large-scale breeding farms (from 200 pigs and chickens upwards), etc.

The Association’s members are at their farm

With right, suitable orientations, the Association has so far had only 5 poor households. The material and spiritual life of members were improved obviously, for example, 100% of households have owned radios and television sets as well as did not live in temporary houses. 20% of members live in stable houses, and 10% of them own agricultural and mechanical machines.

The members voluntarily devoted VND325 million to the Association’s Fund. Each year, the members who have succeeded in production and business often sponsor about VND80-100 million for cultural and political activities. After 10 years, the Association had built 29 compassion houses for its poor members. As for in 2009 alone, the Association handled 960kg of rice and gifts to the poor on Tet holiday.

Chairman Duong Minh Hoang emphasized that the movement’s positive achievements are thanks to the fact that the activities launched by the Association were always closely connected with the socio-economic development. On the other hand, the Association’s leaders must have a deep understanding of the living standards and expectations of each member to timely assist him or her. And the most important thing was that, he said, the venturesome spirit would make great contribution to the movement’s success.

Reported by Do Quyen, Translated by Minh Minh