Gia Canh - A Land of Warmth and Kindness

Residential area 4, Hamlet 1, Gia Canh Commune, former Dinh Quan District after the merger belongs to Hamlet Gia Canh 1, Dinh Quan Commune, Dong Nai Province. Once dotted with gardens and sparsely populated farmland,  this land is now home to well-built houses, and bright, green, clean, beautiful landscape.

Officials and residents of Gia Canh 1 hamlet, Dinh Quan commune, clean up a residential road. Photo: Doan Phu

Birds perch on a good land

Before 1975, Gia Canh 1 hamlet was still a regenerating forest, with only a few households making their living from forestry and reclaiming land for cultivation. After 1975, especially in the period of 1976-1980, waves of free migrants gradually came to this land to settle down, reclaiming fallow land for farms and gardens. From a few dozen households initially living and producing on an area of 30 hectares, now the figure has increased to more than 770 households in Gia Canh 1 hamlet with a population of 3,550 people.

According to Party Cell Secretary, Head of Gia Canh 1 Hamlet, Dinh Quan Commune Nguyen Trong Dung, before merging 3 communes of Gia Canh, Phu Ngoc, Ngoc Dinh and Dinh Quan townlet into Dinh Quan commune, residential area 4 of Hamlet 1, former Gia Canh Commune, Dinh Quan District had achieved the status of a model residential area in 2023. The Residential area 4, hamlet 1 is the center of the former Gia Canh commune. People in the hamlet, regardless of whether they started their business earlier or later, or had more or less land for housing and farming, are still united, working together with the hamlet committee and the government to contribute efforts and fund to pave muddy trails and berms muddy trails and tracks used by timber carts with concrete and asphalt to give the hamlet a more spacious and modern appearance. Over time, the infrastructure of Gia Canh 1 hamlet is quite complete in terms of electricity, roads, schools, medical stations, entertainment areas, especially in 2021, when the former Gia Canh commune met new-style rural standards.

Present in Gia Canh 1 area in 1983 as a teacher, Nguyen Ngoc Tu (former Principal of Le Thanh Tong Secondary School) said: The school and classrooms in those years were very makeshift, with corrugated iron roofs and wooden walls far outnumbering old brick classrooms. However, the students were very obedient and studious, and the parents were generous in letting the teachers stay in their houses, when the school did not have a dormitory for teachers.. Because they taught and lived with the people, the teachers were occasionally given fish, vegetables, and fruits from their gardens by their parents, which were simple but heartwarming gestures..

During the difficult years, the school and classrooms here still echoed with voices of students, carrying the diverse accents of North, Central, and South Vietnam - the children of Gia Canh 1 hamlet residents from behind the doors that were only enough to block the sun, but not the wind and dust blowing in. However, the children of Gia Canh 1 hamlet residents still overcame difficulties and gradually passed from primary school to high school levels, then to universities. To date, Gia Canh 1 hamlet boasts over 200 university graduates. Notably, there are about 30 holders of master's degrees in the hamlet, many of whom graduated from prestigious universities in Ho Chi Minh City.

Joining hands to beautify the countryside

All roads leading to Gia Canh 1 Hamlet are full of flowers. Flowers bloom in a variety of colors, showing off their beauty along the straight asphalt and cement roads.

Nguyen Trong Dung boasted: In order for the roads in the hamlet and model residential area 4 to meet the criteria of brightness, greenery, cleanliness, and beauty, the Gia Canh 1 Hamlet Management Board has mobilized the people to cooperate with the State to invest in 20 asphalt and cement concrete roads. Under which, the State supports 60-80% of the cost, depending on each road; the rest is covered by the people (the total amount of money contributed by the people is more than 1 billion VND). In addition, the people have spent hundreds of millions of VND building pillars and power lines, light bulbs, and flower beds.

TRAN VAN QUYEN (80, from Ha Tinh province) said: In 2010, he was welcomed by his daughter and her husband to move into Gia Canh 1 hamlet, Dinh Quan commune to live with them so that they could better take care of them. Out of love for his children and grandchildren, he agreed, but at first, he was worried and afraid of being sad because of the new place. However, after a short time, he felt the friendliness and joy of the people around him, so he felt very comfortable.

When you arrive at Gia Canh 1 hamlet, if you are not familiar with the way to a resident’s house, just ask the head of the Women's Association of the hamlet, Le Thi Hue, and she will show you the way. You don’t need to look for her at home, just notice the woman who often sweeps on the hamlet road, that is Hue.”

Hue said: The Women's Union of Gia Canh 1 Hamlet organizes clean-up activities at least once a week or coordinates with other unions and organizations in the hamlet to clean, weed, and take care of flowers along the roads in the hamlet. As for herself, since the hamlet and commune gave her permission, she has "turned" the vacant land next to Sao Mai Kindergarten into a "mini park". Whenever she has time, she goes out to take care of it, sweep, and weed.

Not only silently contributing to the hamlet to beautify the roads in her residential area, Hue also actively participated in women's movements to help one another build happy families, educate children, and set good examples in the community... Therefore, with over 20 years of working in the hamlet's women's work and other movements, Hue was awarded a Certificate of Merit 4 times by Chairman of the People's Committee of the former Dong Nai province.

By: Doan Phu
Translated by: Quoc Dung - Thu Ha