A firm pillar of support for ethnic minority communities in Thac Dai

Dieu Dung (45 years old, of the S’tieng ethnic group) is a respected role model and a trusted support for ethnic minority communities in Thac Dai hamlet, Phu Nghia commune, Dong Nai province.

Beyond being a respected figure among ethnic minority communities, Dieu Dung, Head of Thac Dai hamlet, has acted as a steadfast bridge between the Party’s policies and the people’s aspirations, making notable contributions to maintaining security and order and fostering socio-economic development in the area.

A “Keeper of the Flame” of trust within the community

Having been closely connected to the land of Thac Dai for many years, Dieu Dung has a deep understanding of the community’s mindset, customs, and traditions, as well as the hardships faced by ethnic minority residents in their daily lives. In his role as a respected figure and hamlet head, he consistently sets an example by strictly following the Party’s guidelines and policies and the State’s laws, while actively sharing information and encouraging residents to implement them together.

Recently, Dieu Dung (second from the left) has regularly carried out outreach efforts to encourage residents to improve their understanding of and adhere to the Party’s guidelines and policies, as well as the State's laws. Photo: Collaborator

For more than a month now, in preparation for the Lunar New Year of Binh Ngo 2026, Dung has proactively arranged his family and community responsibilities to devote time to visiting every alley and knocking on each household’s door to inquire after residents and to understand their thoughts and aspirations. At the same time, he has reminded people to heighten their vigilance and take proactive measures to prevent crime, thereby helping maintain security and order in the locality.

Thac Dai hamlet currently has 317 households and over 1,000 residents, more than 62 percent of whom are from ethnic minority groups. Local livelihoods primarily depend on agriculture. Due to its remote and mountainous location, legal awareness among some residents was previously limited, leading to various violations, including not wearing helmets while riding motorcycles, carrying more passengers than allowed, reckless or erratic driving, and occasional petty theft of agricultural products, rubber latex, livestock, and poultry.

In response to this reality, Dung proactively coordinated with functional agencies to organize numerous legal dissemination, education, and awareness-raising sessions, adopting flexible formats and practical, easy-to-understand content tailored to the educational level and customs of ethnic minority communities. As a result, residents’ legal awareness has gradually improved, violations have decreased markedly, and community life has become increasingly stable.

Beyond disseminating general legal provisions, Dieu Dung has also worked closely with local departments, sectors, and mass organizations to provide in-depth communication on laws directly related to the lives of ethnic minority people, such as the prevention of child trafficking, domestic violence prevention, the harmful effects of alcohol and drugs, and the Party’s and State’s ethnic policies. In particular, he has actively encouraged residents to abandon outdated practices in weddings and funerals, and to remain vigilant against predatory lending and the mortgaging of productive land, acting as “traps” that have previously plunged many families into hardship and debt.

Dieu Dung noted that in the past, due to a lack of information, many households sold cashew crops prematurely, mortgaged land, or borrowed money at high interest rates, severely affecting their long-term livelihoods. Once aware of the situation, he worked together with commune officials to visit households individually to analyze the costs and consequences, while strengthening preventive measures. As a result, such practices have declined significantly since then, helping ethnic minority residents gradually change their mindset, proactively protect their assets and land, stabilize production, and improve their livelihoods.

In addition, for nearly a decade, Dieu Dung has also served as Head of the grassroots mediation team in Thac Dai hamlet. He has consistently taken the initiative to study and enhance his legal knowledge while actively participating in mediation skills training programs organized by relevant agencies and units. This diligence has enabled him to accumulate substantial knowledge and experience in grassroots mediation.

According to Dung, each case has its own characteristics and therefore requires an appropriate approach. For minor disputes, issues should be resolved promptly on-site to prevent further escalation. For more complex cases, especially those related to land issues, it is necessary to report to and seek guidance from local authorities before conducting mediation in accordance with proper procedures.

“Most arising cases have been successfully mediated, helping to strengthen neighborhood solidarity and prevent petitions or complaints from escalating to higher levels,” Dung shared.

In recognition of his practical and meaningful contributions to the community, Dieu Dung has received commendations and awards from authorities at various levels and sectors. Notably, the Dong Nai Provincial People’s Committee presented him with a Certificate of Merit for his outstanding achievements in ethnic affairs and the Patriotic Emulation Movement during the 2020–2025 period, while the former Binh Phuoc Provincial People’s Committee conferred upon him a Certificate of Merit recognizing him as an Outstanding Citizen of Binh Phuoc in 2025.

Contributing to the building of peaceful and prosperous hamlets

Beyond his active involvement in community affairs, Dieu Dung also exemplifies economic development. After starting a family in 2005 and taking up upland farming, he has consistently worked to advance through his own efforts.

With the support and guidance of the hamlet management board, the Party Committee, and the Phu Nghia Commune People’s Committee, he has actively taken part in cultivation and animal husbandry training courses. He has confidently applied technical innovations to enhance production efficiency. To date, his family owns three hectares of cashew plantations and seven hectares of rubber trees, raises cattle, and has invested in various pieces of machinery to support production.

Currently, his family’s annual income is about 700 million VND. After expenses, profits are between 400 and 500 million VND. He also provides regular jobs for roughly 25 local workers, mostly from ethnic minority communities, with daily wages of 300,000 to 500,000 VND.

Instead of keeping his experience to himself, Dung actively guides fellow residents in effective production methods and helps them obtain loans from the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies to improve livestock farming and cultivation. As a result, many poor and near-poor households in the hamlet have achieved stable incomes and sustainably escaped poverty.

Thanks to Dieu Dung's tireless efforts, the conditions in Thac Dai hamlet have continued to improve. Residents’ homes are now more solid and well-constructed; most households have audio-visual equipment; children of school age attend school regularly; security and public order are maintained; and no complex hotspots involving ethnic minority communities have developed.

Looking ahead, Dieu Dung shared that he will continue to set an example by promoting diligence and creativity in work, boldly applying new economic models, actively disseminating and mobilizing residents to effectively implement ethnic policies, preserving traditional cultural identity, building a healthy cultural life, and contributing to the strengthening of great national unity and the comprehensive development of a strong and stable locality.

By An Nhon - Translated by Hong Van, Minho