Youngest prestigious representative of ethnic minorities in Dong Nai

Dieu Tieu Phi (26, from Phu Nghia commune, Dong Nai province) has been officially recognized by the Provincial People’s Committee as a prestigious person among ethnic minorities for the past two years. Prior to this, he spent several years “giving a hand” to predecessors in the same role within the commune.

Dieu Tieu Phi (from Phu Nghia commune) talks with students in the community. Photo: Van Truyen

Currently, Dieu Tieu Phi is the youngest individual and the only person of youth age in the province to hold the position of a prestigious person among ethnic minorities in Dong Nai.

A mediator in Dak Khau hamlet

Dak Khau hamlet is home to more than 1,200 residents, of whom over 1,100 belong to ethnic minority groups. Most residents rely on agriculture, with only a few engaged in trade. Like many other communities, daily life inevitably leads to disputes sometimes. Despite being only 26 years old, as a trusted representative and Head of the Hamlet’s Front Work Committee, Phi is the person residents turn to for mediation.

According to Phi, the S’tieng people have a long-standing custom whereby conflicts are resolved through the intervention of a community representative who acts as both mediator and witness, ensuring that disputes are settled thoroughly without lingering issues. This role is typically entrusted to village elders or individuals of recognized prestige, so residents seek his assistance in resolving communal matters.

Among the 579 individuals recognized by the Provincial People’s Committee as persons of prestige among ethnic minorities and village elders in Dong Nai, the oldest is Dieu Do, aged 106, in Bu Dang commune, while the youngest is Dieu Tieu Phi, aged 26.

Each year, Phi is involved in mediating 3–5 cases. He recalled an instance where children playing together were accidentally injured and required hospital treatment. Upon receiving the information, Phi met with both families, calmed them down, and prioritized the child’s recovery. After the child returned home, the two families requested reconciliation, asking Phi to act as a witness. The family of the injured child received financial support for medical expenses and accepted a ceremonial pig, and both families shared a reconciliation meal in his presence.

In another case, when a young couple encountered marital problems, both sides of the family invited Phi to mediate. Drawing on his own experience as a young husband, he advised the couple to openly share their concerns and seek solutions together. After several mediation sessions involving both sides of the couple’s families, Phi helped the couple, who have two young children, rebuild their relationship and continue their family life.

Dieu Thi Thanh, a resident of Dak Khau hamlet, said that following local customs and because she has often seen Phi successfully mediate disputes, it has become a habit that whenever something happens in the hamlet requiring a neutral figure to balance the situation, residents turn to the trusted representative of the ethnic minority community, Head of the Hamlet’s Front Work Committee, Dieu Tieu Phi.

Devoting youthful energy to the community

In addition to his role as a mediator of the community, Phi actively promotes his responsibilities as a prestigious person and Head of the Hamlet’s Front Work Committee to serve the residents.

He noted that the State has paid attention to supporting ethnic minorities with solid housing, access to various sources of capital, job creation, and especially educational policies. Combined with the efforts of community members in working and studying, this has led to steady improvement. However, challenges remain, particularly the tendency for some families to allow their children to leave school early to work once they reach working age. In such cases, Phi often shares his own experience and that of his younger sister, who both tried hard to study in order to have better job opportunities. He also points out that schools have been built within the village, making access to education more convenient. During exams, ethnic minority students often receive priority points in examinations, increasing their chances of admission, while those attending boarding schools are supported with accommodation and meals by the State. Therefore, he encourages parents to keep their children in school.

For cases where children are more interested in playing than studying, Phi visits their homes to better understand their situation; at the same time, he also reaches out to his friends to find support for disadvantaged students, enabling them to continue their education.

Dieu Thi Ngoc Lan, a fifth-grade student at the Dak Khau school site of Ngo Quyen Primary and Secondary School, said that during community activities, Phi always reminds her to attend school regularly and to help her younger brother with reading and writing at home.

According to Dieu Suyen, Head of Dak Khau hamlet, Phi has demonstrated youthful enthusiasm and effectively applied information technology in his work. By connecting residential groups through Zalo community groups, he is able to quickly stay updated on developments at residential areas, which greatly supports the Village Front Working Committee, where many members are older and less familiar with digital tools.

By Van Truyen – Translated by Minh Hong, Thu Ha