Along the road leading to the village’s production area, the atmosphere is bustling and industrious. Machinery is being used to level the ground and open the roadbed, while villagers take time to clear vegetation and contribute labor wherever possible.

Lò Văn Thanh, Secretary of the village Party Cell, shared: “With just over VND 70 million to build a 4.5-kilometer road, it would be very difficult if we relied solely on that funding. However, thanks to the active and voluntary participation of local residents, the work has progressed smoothly.”

To secure this funding, the communities of Nà Tấu 1, along with Nà Tấu 2 and 3, have spent years protecting nearly 700 hectares of forest. Thanks to effective forest management, the villages receive more than VND 300 million annually in PFES payments. Nà Tấu 1 alone receives around VND 100 million each year, part of which is allocated to the community forest protection team, while the remainder is pooled into a common fund for infrastructure investment and long term production needs.

Initially, some residents proposed dividing the money equally among households to meet immediate needs. However, after multiple village meetings and careful discussions weighing short term versus long term benefits, the community reached a strong consensus to retain the funds for building rural roads and other shared infrastructure.

Lò Văn Tưởng, a resident of Nà Tấu 1, expressed his excitement as the road gradually takes shape: “Everyone wants a road for easier travel and better livelihoods. My family also contributes labor whenever we can. We’re building this for ourselves and for the whole village, so everyone is willing to pitch in.”

In addition to contributing labor, villagers have voluntarily donated portions of their farmland to expand the road, creating favorable conditions for construction.

Standing along the emerging route, Quàng Văn Trung said: “Once the road is finished, travel will be easier, and future cultivation of coffee and macadamia will be more convenient. What we do today will make life easier tomorrow. Our children will benefit from what we are building now.”

With this shared mindset and strong community consensus, Nà Tấu 1 village is gradually laying the groundwork for a new production direction. In 2026, following the commune’s policy to develop coffee and macadamia crops, the village plans to establish a 100-hectare cultivation area. The 4.5-kilometer road will not only meet current transportation needs but also facilitate the transport of materials, seedlings, and future agricultural products.

Lò Văn Thanh added: “These achievements come from the unity and collective decision making of our people. Everyone contributes what they can - effort or labor - and no one stays out of community work. That’s how we completed a 4-kilometer internal road in 2025. Now, as we continue building this new route, the same spirit remains, helping improve our livelihoods step by step.”

Looking at the winding road across the hills nearing completion, he concluded: “The forest provides us with income, but what matters is how we use it. When people are united, even difficult tasks become achievable.”