Thanh Son Commune prioritizes social welfare with sustainable livelihood support

Rather than being a simple support activity, the livelihood support program that provides chickens to disadvantaged households reflects a long-term strategy aimed at fostering self-reliance and unlocking each household's internal potential.

Nguyen Thi Hong Cuc takes care of the supported flock of chickens. Photo: To Tam

From the initial livestock provided, beneficiaries can generate income and gradually improve their living conditions while also spreading meaningful humanitarian values at the grassroots level.

Creating livelihoods for residents

Nearly 70 years old, Nguyen Thi Hong Cuc, residing in Thanh Son commune, still quietly makes a living on a daily basis. Life was already difficult, and it became even harder when her husband passed away, she herself is ill, and she also has to take care of a child who is not normal. Her main income comes from selling lottery tickets, which is unstable from day to day.

Since receiving 50 chicks through the commune’s support program, however, her life has taken a more hopeful turn. After more than 4 months of care, the chickens have reached over 1 kilogram each and are ready for sale.

Standing before the flock of chickens growing rapidly every day, Cuc could not hide her joy. For her, this is not only an asset but also a hope. "I'm so happy, having chickens to raise means having food to eat and something to sell. I try to take good care of them to earn money to cover living expenses, making life a little less difficult," Cuc shared.

Initially, thanks to the feed provided by the authorities, she had better conditions for caring for her chickens. As the chickens grew, Cuc managed on her own, buying more corn and feed for the chickens. Although her health is no longer good, with diligence and determination, she persevered every day with her small flock of chickens. She plans to keep some of the chickens after selling this batch to breed and continue to maintain a long-term income source.

A similar story is seen in the case of Nguyen Thi Ha, 68, who lives alone in a temporary shelter built on borrowed land in Thanh Son Commune. Her livelihood has largely depended on odd jobs and community support.

Thanh Son Commune People's Committee has carried out 2 rounds of chicken donations in December 2025 and March 2026, totaling 2,000 chickens, and it has supported nearly 1,000 kg of feed and various medicines for disease prevention and control in the chicken flocks for the people.

When she received 50 breeding chickens, Ha saw it as an opportunity to change her life. Despite extremely limited farming conditions, she still used her small shack to raise chickens. She carefully cared for the chickens, built proper coops, and even put up mosquito nets around them to prevent attacks from other animals.

From the initial 50 chickens, after a period of raising them, Ha kept about 40 chickens. When she sold the first batch of chickens, she saved up and raised 20 more, continuing to maintain the flock. In addition to the supported feed, she also went out to collect banana stems, vegetables, and grass to chop up and mix in for the chickens, both saving costs and ensuring the flock developed well.

"I am truly grateful to the local authorities for always supporting me in life. The chicken donation also helps me have a more comfortable livelihood in my old age," Ha confided.

Caring for social welfare

Over the years, the Party Committee and the People's Committee of Thanh Son commune have consistently identified social welfare work as one of the key and ongoing tasks in the locality's socio-economic development. As a purely agricultural commune, the lives of some residents remain difficult, and finding practical support solutions suited to local conditions has always been a concern for the local authorities.

Vo Van Trung, Chairman of the Commune People's Committee, said that this is one of the specific ways to implement the Party and State's policy of sustainable poverty reduction, while closely adhering to local production conditions. Thanh Son has the advantage of land and spacious breeding areas, and the people have experience in poultry farming. Therefore, supporting livestock, such as chickens, is considered a suitable, easy-to-implement, and potentially quick way to achieve results.

According to Trung, the remarkable aspect of the program is not limited to donating livestock but also aims to achieve the long-term goal of creating sustainable livelihoods, helping people improve their lives.

"We hope that by supporting chicken breeds, people can gradually build a stable source of income and proactively develop their household economy. More importantly, the program contributes to fostering self-reliance and the spirit of overcoming poverty among the people," Trung emphasized.

The program is being implemented in an open, transparent manner and targeted at the right beneficiaries. All selected households are genuinely in difficult circumstances, need support, and have the conditions to raise livestock. Local authorities work closely with mass organizations to review and assess cases, ensuring that support reaches the right people and delivers maximum effectiveness.

In addition, the locality focuses on monitoring and providing technical guidance on animal husbandry to households after they receive the livestock. Professional staff regularly inspect, grasp the situation, and promptly provide support when people encounter difficulties in caring for and preventing diseases in their chicken flocks. As a result, most households participating in the model have achieved positive results, the chicken flocks have developed stably, and some households have expanded their flocks or sold them to the market, creating an additional stable source of income. The program also contributes to strengthening the bond between the government and the people and to building trust among the people in the commune's social welfare policies.

In the near future, Thanh Son commune authorities will continue to maintain and replicate effective livelihood support models, such as animal husbandry and cultivation, that are suitable for local conditions. At the same time, the commune will strengthen the organization of technical training classes and transfer science and technology to help people improve productivity and production efficiency. The mobilization of socialized resources will also be promoted to provide additional support to disadvantaged households.

By To Tam, Le Trung – Translated by Mai Nga, Minho