“Life was hard. My family lived in a ravine, without electricity or clean water. We had to cross mountains and streams to get around. For the past 2 years, we have been growing cinnamon trees and my family's life has improved since moving to this new home. There's enough water and electricity now.”
That was Trieu Van Phung from Nam Dang Hamlet. Before the resettlement area was built, many Dao families lived along streams and on hillsides. Without clean water, electricity, or reliable roads, getting children to school, reaching hospitals, and transporting farm produce were difficult. The rainy season also meant landslides and flash floods.
In 2021, authorities approved a resettlement project for residents of Nam Dang and Po Lang. The project was designed to move families away from disaster-prone areas and help them build more stable lives.
Trieu Van Son, former secretary of the local Party Cell and former head of Nam Dang hamlet, said: “We conducted surveys and consulted locals. I asked them which areas had ample space, and then encouraged people to donate some of their land. They agreed because the State was developing homes for them on that land."
About 10 households donated land for the resettlement area. One was Trieu Van Dung, who contributed 7,000 square meters of his family's farmland. Dung said his family was glad to help their neighbors find safer homes, with better roads and easier access to markets for their produce.
He said: “We were told that the State was funding this project for our people here. So I told my wife that our family should also set aside some land for donation. It would make our hamlet better and more beautiful. We did it for everyone, so that they can enjoy a peaceful life, get around more easily, and make a living."
The new Nam Dang resettlement area has been in use since 2023. It has three residential zones with 46 plots of land. Residents now have better roads, electricity, clean water, mobile phone service, and internet access.
“Life here is so much more convenient now. Thanks to the new roads, we can deliver goods, take our children to school, or go out and about. Everyone is very happy. The infrastructure in the resettlement area—including electricity, water supply, mobile network coverage, and internet—is all working reliably and smoothly,” according to Trieu Van Lam, head of Nam Dang Hamlet.
Most households in Nam Dang Hamlet have depended on forestry and hillside farming. As part of the resettlement project, Minh Khai Commune has provided residents with seedlings, livestock, fertilizer, and technical guidance.
Nong Hai Hung, Vice Chairman of the Minh Khai Commune People's Committee, said: “In recent years, locals have invested in more than 80 hectares of acacia and cinnamon. This is thanks to a production development program, which has so far generated stable income for the people. Many households have made enough money to build spacious homes and improve their daily lives.”
Thanks to land donated by local families and state investment, Nam Dang residents can now live more stable lives in a safer location.
