Valuing the community’s precious asset

Dong Nai province is home to 357,000 elderly citizens, a vital segment of the community whose life experience, labor, cultural preservation, and role in educating younger generations represent an invaluable resource. Beyond encouraging the elderly to participate in patriotic emulation movements, the province also pays close attention to their material and spiritual well-being, helping them live joyfully, healthily, and meaningfully.

Nguyen Van Long, Chairman of the Dong Nai Provincial Elderly People’s Association, presents certificates of merit to individuals with outstanding contributions to activities of elderly people. Photo Van Truyen

Thanks to these efforts, the elderly in Dong Nai have made significant contributions to the province’s development and are well cared for by both their families and the broader community.

Promoting the role of the elderly as exemplary figures

Currently, more than 18,430 elderly people are actively involved in Party, government, and mass organization work, holding positions such as Party cell secretaries, hamlet or neighborhood heads, and heads of local Fatherland Front committees. They serve as key figures in educating youth about tradition and patriotism.

Additionally, over 90,000 elderly people have been recognized for their economic excellence and for creating employment opportunities across various sectors. More than 103,000 elderly people participate in local crime prevention and community security efforts, while over 1,500 engage in safeguarding national border security. Since 2021, the elderly have contributed 47 billion VND and nearly 500,000 square meters of land to road expansion and public works, further demonstrating their ongoing commitment to the province's development and well-being.

For many consecutive years, Chenh Cun Pau (from Dinh Quan commune) has been recognized as an outstanding farmer, creating employment opportunities for many workers through his family’s fruit orchards and industrial crops. In addition, he has donated land for the construction of a hamlet cultural house, providing a space for community activities.

"Within the capacity of my family, I try to contribute so that our community can build a better and more vibrant living environment," Chenh Cun Pau shared.

Meanwhile, nearly 60,000 senior citizens actively participate in and play key roles in over 2,000 cultural and sports clubs dedicated to preserving traditional culture.

According to Vo Thi Ngoc, Chairwoman of the Bu Dang Commune Elderly People’s Association, the commune has nearly 1,900 elderly people involved in activities across 22 sub-associations. To ensure that the elderly live happily and healthily while contributing to cultural preservation, the association has established 35 clubs in various areas, including health exercises, performing arts, sports, gongs and drums, and chess. These clubs regularly organize activities and training sessions, offering meaningful recreational spaces for the elderly and emphasizing their role in maintaining local cultural traditions.

Nguyen Van Long, Chairman of the Dong Nai Provincial Elderly People’s Association, emphasized that, in any position or role, the elderly demonstrate an exemplary spirit in implementing the Party and State’s policies and actively participate in local emulation movements. As a result, 151 elderly people in Dong Nai have been awarded certificates of merit by  the Vietnam Association of the Elderly and the Provincial People’s Committee for their contributions across various sectors. Local elderly people’s associations have recognized hundreds more as exemplary individuals in community and cultural activities.

Speaking at the first Congress of the Dong Nai Provincial Elderly People’s Association for the 2026–2031 term, Le Truong Son, Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee and Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee, stated that the province will review and focus on developing and improving the quality of medical care and health services for residents, including the elderly. He also directed relevant agencies and local authorities to coordinate in mobilizing resources and strengthening the Care Fund for the Elderly at the grassroots level.

Creating opportunities for the elderly to leverage their strengths

To continue promoting the exemplary role of elderly people, each individual is striving in their respective positions, contributing even more actively to various aspects of social life. At the same time, the executive committees of elderly associations at all levels are proactively setting key priorities for the elderly people’s work in the new phase.

Elderly people perform a mass folk dance in traditional costumes of Vietnam’s ethnic groups at the 2025 Great National Unity Festival of Inter- Residential Communities in Tho Son commune. Photo Van Truyen

According to Nguyen Van Long, to consolidate and improve the organizational structure of elderly associations, the Dong Nai Provincial Elderly People’s Association successfully held the First Congress for the 2026–2031 term on December 24. The congress represented a broad and meaningful political activity for elderly people following the operation of two-tier local government. The congress approved four key focus areas for the new phase: strengthening and building robust association structures; improving the material and spiritual well-being of elderly people; promoting the role of the elderly in Party and government building; and innovating the content and methods of association activities.

Specifically, during the 2026–2031 period, the elderly people’s associations across Dong Nai aim to recruit at least 90% of the elderly population into the association; establish the Care Funds for the Elderly in 100% of communes and wards to support and enhance the elderly’s roles; ensure that all elderly people receive birthday and longevity greetings in accordance with regulations, as well as other social protection and health insurance benefits; and establish 3 to 5 intergenerational self-help clubs in each commune or ward.

Le Thi Soa, Chairwoman of the Long Khanh Ward Elderly People’s Association, noted that the ward has over 15,000 elderly people, representing 7% of the total population. To date, 23 intergenerational self-help clubs have been established and strengthened, with nearly 1,200 members. These clubs have raised over 446 million VND, from which 55 members received loans totaling 300 million VND for production and business activities, while nearly 3,000 members have been visited and supported during illness or holidays. In the time ahead, the association and its members will continue to lead by example, foster solidarity, maintain regular activities, and adhere to operational regulations to further enhance elderly programs.

Chairman of the Provincial Elderly People’s Association Nguyen Van Long added that in the coming time, the Provincial Elderly People’s Association will actively advise Party and government authorities on the elderly-related policies, particularly those concerning social welfare. As the province promotes digital transformation, each association member will also strive to contribute to building a digital society and digital citizens.

By Van Truyen - Translated by Hong Van, Thu Ha