Each new Party member adds strength to the organization while becoming a “seed” that creates new sources of personnel, contributing to building a contingent of local cadres. This serves as the foundation for Điện Biên to continue renewing Party development work, meeting the requirements of strengthening the grassroots political system in the new period.

Part 1: Those chosen by the villages

In the highland villages of Điện Biên, joining the ranks of the Party represents a journey of endeavor for outstanding individuals. That journey begins with discovery by the Party cell, guidance from veteran Party members, and self-cultivation through practical work. From these sown “seeds,” young Party members progressively mature, becoming core forces in building their homelands.

Sowing the source from ordinary deeds

In the late afternoon, the road leading into Nậm Là village in Mường Nhé commune gradually empties of passersby. Inside a small house nestled against the hillside, Sùng A Hua, a young Hmông Party member, prepares tools for working the upland fields the following morning.

Five years ago, like many young people in the village, Hua took on wage labor whenever the agricultural season ended. When mobilized for village or commune activities, he participated, but becoming a Party member had never crossed his mind. “In the past, I thought joining the Party was the business of officials. As an ordinary villager, I thought I only needed to work hard and abide by the law,” Hua recalled.

The turning point came from ordinary actions. During a community forest patrol, Hua arrived early to help the protection team prepare equipment. Nậm Là is currently tasked with managing and protecting over 1,000ha of forest. Over the years, Hua and local villagers have coordinated with functional authorities to protect the forest safely, earning him multiple commendations from the commune and the Mường Nhé Forest Protection Station.

Beyond forest patrols, Hua enthusiastically contributed to collective village tasks, from cleaning village pathways to helping poor households repair their houses. Quiet by nature, he diligently completed whatever task was assigned to him. That dedication gradually caught the attention of Sùng A Chu, Secretary of the Nậm Là village Party Cell.

“Hua is not a talkative person, but whatever the village assigns him, he strives to complete thoroughly. Through these simple deeds, villagers gradually came to love and trust him,” Sùng A Chu recounted.

From that trust, the Party cell began monitoring and nurturing Hua as a prospective candidate for Party membership. Following discussions within the cell, Party Cell Secretary Sùng A Chu placed Hua on the list of outstanding individuals for mentorship, assigning a Party member to assist him directly.

Party member Thào A Di, a prestigious figure in the village, was assigned to mentor him. Di did not begin with lengthy lectures on the Party Charter; instead, he involved Hua in concrete village duties so he could train while working.

When the village rolled out coffee and macadamia cultivation, Hua mobilized households to participate. When the youth union branch organized workdays to assist poor households, he was put in charge of a youth team. When conducting communication against child marriage, Hua accompanied village cadres to visit each family. Through each task, his enthusiasm, responsibility, and ability to rally young people were recognized by the Party cell. Sùng A Chu, Secretary of the Nậm Là Party Cell, shared: “We do not simply assess whether a comrade is active, but whether they dare to accept difficult tasks and see them through to the end. That is what true training is about.”

In June 2024, Sùng A Hua was admitted to the Party. Moving from a young man who once believed Party membership was only for officials, Hua now stands in the ranks of the Party with a renewed mindset regarding his duty to the village. “Being in the Party is not about setting myself apart from the people, but about holding greater responsibility toward our villagers,” Hua said.

Sùng A Hua’s story is not an isolated case. Across highland villages, outstanding individuals are maturing through labor, local movements, and community trust. The key lies in being recognized, entrusted with tasks, trained, and guided by the Party cell.

The journey to the Party for young member Bàn Văn Hòa in Huổi Thanh 1 village, Nậm Kè commune, also began with deeds closely tied to village life. In 2022, Hòa was entrusted by villagers to join the local security team. From then on, he showed active dedication in every assignment, contributing to preserving security and order so villagers could focus on production and economic development. Recognizing his progress, the Party cell introduced Hòa to a Party awareness course in 2025, and he was officially admitted in May 2026.

Đặng Văn Néng, Secretary of the Huổi Thanh 1 village Party Cell, shared: “The Party cell does not prioritize finding individuals with titles or degrees to cultivate sources. We look directly among those performing well in village affairs, household duties, and community activities.”

Bùi Xuân Trường, Deputy Head of the provincial Party Committee’s Organization Commission, stated: “Outstanding individuals possess strengths and zeal, but without assigned work or a practical environment to train in, fully assessing their capacity is very difficult. Therefore, many Party cells align Party development with grassroots movements, assigning concrete tasks so prospective members can demonstrate responsibility and ability.”

This also reflects an approach prioritized by Party committees in Điện Biên: identifying potential candidates from practical realities and assigning tasks to test and train them, rather than waiting until they meet formal criteria to begin cultivation. This method ensures quality right from the source-creation phase, as chosen individuals must not only meet paperwork qualifications, but more importantly command prestige, demonstrate responsibility, and possess the ability to unite the public.

From “seeds” to grassroots-level active Party members

Once identified, nurtured, and trained by Party cells, these “seeds” continue to be placed into specific practical tasks. Through each assignment, the vanguard and exemplary role of Party members is affirmed, providing a firm foundation for the Party cell to rally and mobilize the community.

Drawing from realities in Nậm Là village, Party Cell Secretary Sùng A Chu believes the admission ceremony is merely the beginning. Crucially, after joining the Party, members must be assigned duties, tested, and prove their role before the people. “The Party cell must assign concrete tasks so new Party members continue to mature, becoming nuclei in their villages,” Chu said.

In 2024, the Nậm Là irrigation reservoir project commenced in the village, affecting the residential and agricultural land of more than 100 households. Site clearance consequently became a difficult task. At that time, the Party cell appointed Sùng A Hua as Head of the village site clearance team.

Hua began by reviewing each household, classifying affected cases, and coordinating with the Party committee and administration to explain compensation and support policies. When community meetings proved insufficient, team members visited individual homes to address worries regarding compensation rates or lost livelihoods. After persistent door-to-door mobilization to resolve every concern, 100% of affected households agreed to hand over site clearance, enabling the project to proceed on schedule. “Once you grasp each family’s concerns, you must explain things clearly. Many evenings, we stayed out mobilizing people late into the night,” Hua recounted.

The family of Thào A Vừ had initially refused to surrender their affected residential land for the reservoir access road. After repeated explanations from Hua regarding the road’s benefits and support options, Vừ reached consensus. Vừ said: “Hua explained everything thoroughly, so I understood and agreed.”

With land handed over and the road expanded, project construction proceeded smoothly. Behind that achievement lay days of Party members visiting homes, listening to concerns, and patiently persuading residents. Tạ Văn Sơn, Secretary of the Mường Nhé commune Party Committee, assessed that site clearance for the Nậm Là reservoir moved swiftly, allowing the project to proceed on schedule, with the Party cell and members of Nậm Là playing an active, prominent role.

Tạ Văn Sơn noted: “Difficult cases were promptly grasped and resolved by the Party cell, building consensus among the people. The role of Party members, particularly Sùng A Hua, was very distinct.”

For Party member Bàn Văn Hòa in Huổi Thanh 1 village, Nậm Kè commune, his assigned task was tied to a new policy: restructuring crops on upland fields.

In 2026, Huổi Thanh 1 village was assigned to plant 20ha of coffee and 20ha of intercropped macadamia. The Party cell assigned members to take the lead in registering and overseeing mobilization across household groups. Accordingly, Bàn Văn Hòa registered nearly 1ha of upland fields for coffee cultivation and joined village teams in visiting households to encourage them to follow suit.

“Changing farmers’ production mindset cannot happen overnight. Party members must lead the way so villagers can see the results and follow. We also explained the economic value of coffee and macadamia compared to traditional crops, helping the policy gain community support,” Hòa shared.

By the close of the planting season, Huổi Thanh 1 completed 100% of its target. Notably, many households invested their own capital to purchase seedlings and convert upland plots. Đặng Văn Néng, Party Cell Secretary, noted: “That result bears the clear imprint of Party members, especially new members. To earn the people’s trust, Party members must act first.”

A “seed” has taken root, and from there, new seeds continue to serve as nuclei at the grassroots. Yet behind these core figures lies an enduring challenge: many highland villages face a shortage of young prospective candidates, as numerous youths work far away, and some localities have not admitted new members for consecutive years. To ensure outstanding individuals are not overlooked, Party committees and cells across Điện Biên are working to resolve bottlenecks right from the grassroots level.