From a poor hamlet where Sán Chay people had struggled with daily hardships, the small hamlet has a new appearance. It now has fertile rice fields, lush cassava fields, and new stilt houses with bright smiles on the faces of the Sán Chay people who are busily preparing for a cozy and joyful new spring, reflect the profound changes in their lives.

The road leading to Huổi Thanh 1 Hamlet, about 12 kilometers from the center of Nậm Kè Commune, has changed significantly. From a winding road which was dust in sunny days and mud in rainy days, it was recently concreted and widened, making transportation become safer and more convenient for local people.

According to Head of Huổi Thanh 1 Hamlet Đặng Văn Néng, the area is home to 98 families with 546 residents who are from three ethnic minority groups including 38 Sán Chay, 38 Dao, and 22 Mông households. Although the poverty rate is about 40%, the Sán Chay community here has fewer households living in poverty, most are classified as near-poor instead.

Talking about the history of Huổi Thanh 1 Hamlet, Mr. Đặng Văn Néng explained that the Sán Chay people of Huổi Thanh 1 is originated from the Northeastern region in Bảo Lạc District, Cao Bằng Province. Back then, families were large, with each household typically having 6-7 siblings, while arable land was limited, making livelihoods difficult.

Knowing that making a living in Mường Tè (formerly part of Lai Châu Province, now in Mường Nhé District, Điện Biên Province) was easier than in their homeland, the elders decided to migrate. Initially, they settled in the area now known as Huổi Lụ 2 Hamlet, Pá Mỳ Commune, however, due to steep terrain, they moved to Huổi Thanh 1 in 2003. At that time, the hamlet had not yet established and there were a few households of Sán Chay and Dao ethnic minority people. Later, Mông people also joined them.

When arriving in the new land, they faced a number of challenges. This is a common fact: Starting from scratch. So do the Sán Chay people!

They began by building homes and clearing fields to cultivate rice. However, their lives was still unstable. They had find wild yams and vegetables in the forest with the hope that their new lives would gradually become more stable.

Mr. Đặng Văn Néng remembered: “At that time, it was not just the difficulties in living facing them. It was also the lack of healthcare service. Because of those struggles and shortages, it was only on special occasions as they invited the shaman for a ritual, each family got to enjoy the taste of chicken.”

After many years of benefiting from the Government’s projects, along with support from various levels and sectors in the province, the Sán Chay community in particular and Huổi Thanh 1 residents in general have learned new farming methods and diversified livelihoods, contributing to improving economic conditions.

“In recent years, the lives of the Sán Chay people have changed significantly. Our community has learned to cultivate wet rice, which yields much more than shifting cultivation, so hunger has almost been eradicated. Thanks to the care and support from the Party and State through various practical programs, living standards of local people in the hamlet have improved drastically. Makeshift and downgraded houses have decreased by 80%. In the past, they did not know much about farming techniques, but now they are growing cassava, cinnamon, acacia... Currently, the hamlet has nearly 100 hectares of cassava, supplying raw materials to local factories. Thanks to this, many households now earn from VNĐ 50 to 60 million annually, even VNĐ 70 million from cassava cultivation,” added Mr. Néng.

On the occasion of the 2025 Lunar New Year (Tết) holiday, local people are expected to enjoy a cozy and happy celebration.