From eliminating temporary and dilapidated houses, supporting livelihoods, and caring for education, to timely helping people overcome natural disasters and stabilize their lives... The provincial armed forces have contributed significantly to consolidating the local political base and building a solid “people’s heart posture” at the border.

An activity leaving many practical marks in the social security work of the provincial armed forces is the response to the emulation movement “Joining hands to erase temporary and dilapidated houses nationwide in 2025.” From repairing and building new houses for policy families, poor and near-poor households, and households affected by natural disasters, to cleaning up village roads and alleys. These seemingly simple actions carry great significance, directly improving the living conditions for border residents.

In the spacious new house built by the hands of the soldiers, Mùa A Cấu, Pa Tết village (Mường Toong commune) could not hide his emotion. He recounted that the old house had been dilapidated for a long time, suffering most when there was heavy rain. However, thanks to the funding support from all levels and the labor support of officers and soldiers of the army unit, after just over a month, his family had a solid, spacious house. “Throughout that month, regularly every morning, the soldiers arrived early to shovel every scoop of earth for the foundation, move every bag of sand and brick to build the house. Heavy or light work, the soldiers did it all single-handedly. My family has few people; if not for the support and help of the soldiers, I don’t know when we would have a new house to live in. I am very grateful to them!” Cấu confided.

Lieutenant Colonel Mùa A Khương, Political Commissar of the Defensive Area 1-Mường Nhé Command, said that responding to the program of erasing temporary and dilapidated houses for the people, in 2025, the unit coordinated with Regiment 741 under the provincial Military Command to support the construction of over 60 houses for people in the managed area. Focusing mainly on difficult areas in communes: Nậm Kè, Mường Toong, Sín Thầu.

Also according to Lieutenant Colonel Mùa A Khương, recently, social security work has become a regular, long-term task, associated with the unit’s defense duties. This task is clearly demonstrated through the construction and deployment of many models rich in humanity. Prominent are the project “Military officers and soldiers raising steps for children to school” and the program “Pot of Porridge of Gratitude.”

“The ‘Pot of Porridge of Gratitude’ model is maintained regularly on weekends, supporting thousands of free bowls of porridge for poor patients coming for treatment at the Mường Nhé Health Center. The unit coordinates with socio-political organizations to sponsor 8 students with special difficulties, 3 of whom are raised and educated right at the barracks. We consider this not only a responsibility but a sentiment, the aspiration of border soldiers, contributing to building the future for children in the area,” Lieutenant Colonel Mùa A Khương shared.

Stemming from the spirit of sharing and accompanying border residents, the “Soldiers’ Rice Jar” model originated at the Leng Su Sìn Border Post, then gradually spread, becoming a regular activity throughout the force. Every day, before the meal, soldiers feeding the army leave a small bowl of rice from the unit’s rations, contributing to the “common jar.” From those saved handfuls of rice, once a month, they gather them to give to poor households, students in difficulty, and families facing misfortune due to natural disasters or crop failure at the border.

For over a year, regularly every month, 30kg of sentimental rice from the “Soldiers’ Rice Jar” of the Nà Bủng Border Post has become a silent support for the family of Lý A Dình, Huổi Khương village (Nà Bủng commune). Every time, receiving the bag of rice brought to his house by the soldiers, Dình is extremely moved. He confided that during the pre-harvest lean season, that very amount of rice helped the family avoid skipping meals, allowing the children to go to class with peace of mind. To him and the people in the village, each grain of rice is not only material support but the sincere affection of the border guards for the compatriots. A full meal helps children overcome the hungry season, but above all, it has silently consolidated the people’s trust in the soldiers, the Party, and the State.

From specific models and tasks at the grassroots, throughout the past years, the armed forces in the province have deployed practical and effective social security work, building a solid people’s heart posture at the border. According to Senior Colonel Trịnh Đức Thiêm, Commander of the provincial Military Command, in the 2021 - 2025 period, armed forces at all levels promoted well the core role in the movements “The military joining forces to build new rural areas” and “The military joining hands for the poor - Leaving no one behind.”

Agencies and units under authority advised on adjusting socio-economic development planning associated with building defensive areas; contributed to building 256 houses for poor households; 4 semi-boarding houses worth nearly VND 1.9 billion; coordinated to build 222 schools, cultural houses, and military-civilian gratitude houses, with a total value of over VND 141 billion; mobilized officers and soldiers to donate nearly VND 1.2 billion to support the “Joining hands for the poor” program.

Implementing the task of “Protecting the Western border in the dry season,” the provincial Military Command sent hundreds of officers and soldiers, mobilizing thousands of workdays to help people repair houses, traffic roads, dredge canals, and overcome natural disaster consequences. In 2025 alone, the provincial Military Command coordinated to implement well Project 57 of the Ministry of National Defense and Project 173 of the Ministry of Public Security; performing the task of protecting the Western direction in the dry season, helping people with thousands of workdays to repair houses, traffic roads, dredge canals; erasing 76 temporary and dilapidated houses; coordinating to give nearly 25,700 gifts, with nearly VND 18 billion, and timely resolving policy regimes for subjects.

“Those results are not only significant in socio-economic terms, but more importantly, contribute to consolidating the people’s confidence in the Party, the State, and the military. Thereby, building the people’s heart posture in the new situation increasingly firmly,” Senior Colonel Trịnh Đức Thiêm emphasized.