In Nậm Pồ district, one of the most disadvantaged areas of the province, the movement of voluntarily submitting petitions to leave poverty status has become a shining example. The story of Vàng A Tá, a resident of Hô Hằng hamlet, Chà Tở commune, is a notable case. His family had long been classified as poor, relying mainly on swidden farming and small-scale livestock. With a progressive mindset, in 2022 he expanded his pig farming and opened a small grocery store. After two years of effort, in early 2024, Tá voluntarily submitted a petition to exit poverty status, expressing a desire to “give support to households facing more hardship.” In his letter, he expressed deep gratitude to the authorities and affirmed his determination to rise by his own means.

He is not alone. Many others, such as Thùng Văn Ún’s family (Cấu hamlet, Chà Nưa commune), Cháng A Sử and Vàng A Dũng (Si Pa Phìn commune), and Lầu A Phong (Chà Tở commune), have also submitted voluntary petitions to exit the poverty list. According to the Nậm Pồ district People’s Committee, since 2020, over 300 households have done the same, with the highest numbers in Chà Nưa, Nà Hỳ, and Chà Cang communes. What is particularly admirable is that many of these families are still facing difficulties but clearly understand that as long as they are capable of working, they must make efforts to improve their lives and leave support for those in more urgent need.

Since 2022, this movement has continued to spread across the province. Local statistics show that more than 2,000 households have voluntarily submitted petitions to exit poverty status, even though many of them still face tough living conditions. The movement is especially prominent in districts with high poverty rates such as Nậm Pồ, Mường Chà, and Mường Nhé, where people once heavily depended on State support policies.

These handwritten petitions, sometimes with shaky handwriting, carry tremendous determination. Most households making such requests share a common belief: they cannot rely indefinitely on government aid. They recognize that there are still many others in deeper hardship who need the support more urgently. Out of a sense of responsibility to their community and personal dignity, they have chosen to give up this support to help others.

The act of writing a petition to exit poverty, though simple, carries profound meaning. It signals a positive shift in public awareness. People are beginning to shed their dependency mindset, instead valuing labor, embracing entrepreneurship, and striving to rise through their own effort and determination. This movement has generated a ripple effect, especially in remote villages. Witnessing the success of others, many households have changed their thinking and boldly sought new directions for economic development. Local authorities have promptly recognized and commended these actions while continuing to facilitate access to information, technical training, and preferential loans for households committed to rising out of poverty.

The voluntary poverty exit movement in Điện Biên is not only a testament to the people’s determination to overcome hardship, but also a reflection of a broader shift in poverty reduction thinking, from passive to proactive. When the will to rise becomes a shared strength within the community, it marks the beginning of a new chapter in Điện Biên’s journey toward sustainable, human-centered, and hopeful poverty alleviation.