Visiting households in ethnic minorities today, we can easily noticed new houses, herds of cow and pig, gardens of rubber trees, pepper, cashew, children get education. This proves that the life of ethnic minorities has changed.
Rising from nothing
Every day, despite of the weather, Lam Hong Quang, S'tieng minority person, living in Quarter 5, My Phuoc ward, Ben Cat town roamed around to collect rubber latex. He said: “Now there are many traders, so I have to have high reputation to maintain business connections”. In 1995, he moved from Binh Duong province to My Phuoc ward here with his wife. After a short time of working for a rubber tree garden, he learned how to trade latex and changed his job. With only VND 300,000, he encountered many difficulties at the first period. But then due to his diligence and prestige, Quang overcame difficulties. Many more business connections and deals came to him. Now, Quang had lands, built a fully equipped house. He said: “Thanks to my prestige, I can buy latex on credit, thus my trading is more favorable. Currently, the latex amount was lesser, due to falling prices. Thus Quang will open a stall in Ben Cat market for his wife to sell goods, but he will never give up the job has helped him overcoming difficulties."
Kim Van Phuoc living in Nuoc Vang hamlet, An Binh commune, Phu Giao District was tapping rubber
Kim My, a Khmer minority person, now is a restaurant owner in My Phuoc ward. His restaurant is small but nsures a stable life for his families. He also cooks feast as ordered, so his life is good now. Previously, to earn money, he must ride bicycle hundreds of kilometer from Ben Cat to An Linh, Phuoc Sang (Phu Giao) to sell ice cream, bread. Additionally, he suffered malaria from the war. After 8 years, when he was cured, with his little saved money, he bought a land to cultivate crops, traded firewood, and then opened this restaurant. His children can go to school and have stable life now. “I overcame the hardest time, now I only have to help my youngest son to start up. I want to open a small shop for him”.
Escaping from poverty
Mr. La Van Binh is the captain of a special mission unit experienced the fiercest time of war. He was the first San Chay minority’s person coming to Dong Tam hamlet, Tam Lap, Phu Giao district for reclamation and bringing new life to the rural poor area. Initially, he mobilized his family, relatives, and neighbors to changed wastelands into cultivated areas. Therefore, San Chay minority people’s life was better. Now Mr. Binh is Dong Tam hamlet Party Secretary, he was also recognized as typical good farmer. He said: “I always try to learn many scientific and technical experiences, applications in agricultural production, so my family’s life is better now”. At present, his family has .7 hectares of rubber trees and 1.7 hectares of aquaculture ponds.
Kim Van in Nuoc Vang hamlet, An Binh commune, Phu Giao district, used to be a poor household, but he escaped from poverty. He was born in Cambodia, in 1987, he and his family came to Phu Giao. No money, no house to live, he had to work many jobs to earn money, but his life was still so difficult. Thanks to his diligence, in more than a year, they saved a small amount and bought 2 hectares of land. In late 2010, total income from farming of his family was VND30 million/year, his family’s life has been more stable. Currently, his family own 4 hectares of rubber trees, 1 hectare of pepper, and also rear cows, pigs… Their total annual income is VND50 to 60 million. He said: “This year, I can harvest latex early with a large amount. This crop is likely to be a rich harvest ".
Reported by Kim Ha – Translated by Ngoc Huynh
