'Bright border villages' initiative highlights soldiers' civil work

The Tam Chung Border Guard Station installs and completes 15 poles and 500W solar lights along both sides of the road leading to the resettlement area of ​​Ón Village. — VNA/VNS Photo Hoa Mai

THANH HOÁ — Under the 'Bright Border Villages' initiative, civil works are being installed by the Thanh Hoá Provincial Border Guard in their jurisdiction.

The initiative's positive results not only bring joy to people in border areas, but also raise the reputation of soldiers.

The Tam Chung Border Guard Station is located in the Mường Lát border district. Soldiers at the station are tasked with managing and protecting 7.3km of borders encompassing four national border markers, from marker 270 to marker 273.

In Tam Chung Commune, there are eight villages with 837 households and 4,011 people belonging to six ethnic groups living together, including Mông, Thái, Kinh, Mường, Dao and Khơ Mú.

Over the past few years, the Tam Chung Border Guard Station has worked with the local Party Committee and authorities to deploy many new initiatives and practices to help people develop the economy, stabilise their lives and ensure security and order.

One good example is the 'Bright Border Villages' initiative.

As part of the project, the station soldiers poured concrete for 15 pillars and installed 500W solar bulbs along both sides of the road leading to the resettlement area of ​​Ón Village in Tam Chung Commune.

The unit, along with the communal Women's Union, Youth Union and local people, also cleaned up the environment and planted and cared for nearly 2km of flower beds along the roads, creating a green, clean and beautiful space and landscape.

Lò Văn Liệu, Chairman of the Tam Chung Commune People's Committee, said: "The border guards' support for installing solar power systems on roads leading to villages is a creative and practical way to improve the people’s cultural and spiritual life, creating a new look for the village. Our locality hopes to have more 'Bright Border Villages' projects to facilitate people's travel and ensure security and order in the area."

Lieutenant Colonel Ngô Minh Quang, Head of the Tam Chung Border Guard Station, said: "Closely following the locality and understanding the people’s wishes, the station’s Party Committee and Command and the communal Party Committee and People's Committee have coordinated and unified in leadership and direction.”

To complete the project, the station assigned officers and soldiers to erect poles and pull wires. At the same time, the unit selected people with mechanical skills who know how to use welding and cutting machines to install the lamp system to ensure aesthetics, sustainability and efficiency.

“We've received approval and support from local people," he said.

Good work

In Mường Lát District, there are five border posts, all of which are working on the 'Bright Border Villages' initiative. The posts are the Tam Chung Border Post in Ón Village, the Tén Tằn Border Guard Station in Đoàn Kết Residential Quarter, Mường Lát Town, the Quang Chiểu Border Station in Pù Đứa Village, the Trung Lý Border Station in Tà Cóm Village and the Pù Nhi Border Station in Cơm Village.

After only a few months, the project’s positive effects have spread widely across the border roads of Thanh Hoá Province.

The Bát Mọt Border Guard Station in Thường Xuân District has chosen Ruộng Village to deploy the initiative this year, helping people there reduce poverty, develop the economy and ensure national defence and security.

To this end, the station has been coordinating with the Bát Mọt Commune People's Committee and socio-political organisations to support Ruộng Village in renovating, restoring and expanding its agricultural land areas and building a model for household economic development.

In particular, the station unit plans to focus on supporting villagers to raise snails, livestock, poultry and bees for honey, as well as planting, maintaining and protecting forests.

They will also work to restore and promote pieces of national cultural identity, such as Khặp Thái and Khua Luống costumes and folk games.

Colonel Lê Văn Long, Chief of Politics of the Thanh Hoá Provincial Border Guard, said that during the 2024-2027 period, the Provincial Border Guard Command will coordinate with the Party committees and authorities of the 11 poorest villages in five border districts, including Thường Xuân, Lang Chánh, Quan Sơn, Quan Hoá and Mường Lát, on the 'Bright Border Villages' project.

The initiative will be evaluated and then replicated in other villages.

The 'Bright Border Villages' project is a creative way for the Provincial Border Guard to promote the combined strength of the entire political system, concentrating resources to build new rural areas and help people reduce poverty.

With this goal in mind, they have worked to improve coordination between Border Guards and local Party committees, authorities, departments and organisations in building and protecting territorial sovereignty and national border security as well as keeping an increasingly strong border defence. — VNS