Each completed charity house in Huong Phung commune gives one more child the opportunity to go to school.
A house is not only a place to live, but it also opens the door for children in Huong Phung commune to have the opportunity to go to school, learn letters, and gain knowledge. Their future will be brighter, no longer hanging around in poor neighborhoods.
We landed at Phu Bai airport and then continued to move by car to Huong Phung commune, Quang Tri province. The journey lasted nearly 5 hours. The distance was not too long, but the closer we reached the destination, the more dangerous the roads were due to landslides.
Huong Phung commune, located near the Lao Bao international border gate, is one of the poorest mountainous communes in Quang Tri province. This place endures all the harshest weather in the Western Quang Tri region. When it is sunny, the wind blows fiercely; when it rains, it is pouring rain. Because of that, the people here always live in poor and difficult conditions.
Every time it rains, and floods come, houses, fields, and gardens are flushed in the flood. Last year, the houses of the Van Kieu ethnic group living there were all washed away. All that remained were tears and worries about a home when Tet was coming close.
A house is more than just a home…
The flood in the Central region derives everything, not only property but also trust. If it is simply a donation of clothes and food, the consequences of the floods will still exist. It is said that the house is the most valuable asset of each family, the house is not only a material property, but it also carries a lot of spiritual meaning.
That is why we were determined to rebuild more solid and permanent homes for the Van Kieu ethnic people in Huong Phung commune.
Given the difficult terrain in Huong Phung commune, we had to find every way and every method of how to build solid houses in the shortest time. Each house handed over to the ethnic people had not only to ensure flood prevention, but also had to conform to their customs and habits, and in time to help them prepare for the New Year of the Ox.
The method that Coteccons, the main contractor and sponsor of 20 houses, chose to build was to use Nucewall panels, reinforced with porous concrete in the middle, and outside Cement panels. With a “speedy” progress of 1 day of foundation, 2 days of completion, and a total of only 3 days, it was possible to complete and hand over the house in time for people there to celebrate the Tet holiday.
Before that, on December 28, 2020, we were there to start the construction of 17 houses and repair of 3 charity houses for the people. Now, we are back proudly when 20 houses have been completed, beautiful and solid in the middle of the unspoiled land.
Seeing people’s joy in getting their own homes, we know we have just done the right thing.
… but also an opportunity for children here to go to school
- What grade are you in?
- Third grade.
- Do you like going to school?
- I like it very much. But if we don’t have a home, we probably won’t go to school.
The boy who lives in the commune innocently told us when we got there to survey. The boy’s words made us feel constant pain in our hearts.
In order to build a solid house, the Van Kieu ethnic people here often have to work hard for many years. And that means, in the case of losing their home, the children here will have to drop out of school to help their parents and earn money to rebuild the house. When the flash flood passed, everything in this place returned to nothing. What was left was the bare land, and the people had no place to live.
If they don’t go to school, the children will follow their parents to the fields every day, and then later get married at an age where they should have just entered middle school or high school without knowing the other worlds in the distance.
Many reasons hinder the schooling journey of Van Kieu ethnic children in Huong Phung commune. But we believe that these solid and sustainable houses will help children get to school. When there is a home, and a safe place to hide, the livelihood will be less difficult, and learning can come to them.
A house is not only a place to live, but it also opens the door for children in Huong Phung commune to have the opportunity to go to school, learn letters, and gain knowledge. Their future will be brighter, no longer hanging around in poor neighborhoods.
Ending
The journey to bring charity houses to the people of Huong Phung commune was tough, but for us, it was an emotional journey.
Indeed, the wishes for the good of and the enormous efforts devoted to the community have brought ripe fruit. Looking at the faces and the bright smiles on the faces of the people when they were given houses, we felt happy and peaceful.
Twenty houses in Huong Phung commune are the very first project in the charity program that we – Coteccons and Unicons wish to contribute to society. In the coming time, we will continue our journey to bring charity houses to people in need.
VIET THANG
