Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee Le Truong Luu handed the key to the poor family at the house handover ceremony. Photo: THAI BINH

One day in mid-August, 25 poor households living temporarily on the heritage land dressed decently, different from the shabby clothes, stood ahead of a row of houses in Huong So resettlement area. With the permanent smile on the lips, that day, they were handed the key by the authorities to open the door and enter the dream house.

From dilapidated huts to solid houses

The sad and anxious face of Mr. Thai Van Buu in the previous conversations with us no longer existed, and overflowed with radiance and cheer instead. The man has just turned 36, but this widower who brought up his children is now comfortable in his new house.

Mr. Buu was one of 25 poor households who received a turnkey house. Present in the resettlement area quite early, he together with his 3 children stood ahead of the undreamed-of house in his arduous life.

Mr. Le Van Giay (aged 86) emotionally received the key of the new house handed by Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Phan Ngoc Tho. Photo: THAI BINH

At this point one year ago, on the visit of the Politburo member, National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and the provincial leaders stopped right at Mr. Buu's house on a slope along Thuong Thanh in Thuan Loc Ward, Hue City.

Although said to be the house, in fact, it was a dilapidated hut of about ten square meters, without anything valuable inside. The whole group was amazed to witness the plight of a young man with unstable job and unfavorable life. Also, his wife went away, leaving 3 children behind.

Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan graciously enquired after, encouraged him and requested the authorities to make a priority policy decision for Mr. Buu and other poor households on  Thuong Thanh.

Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Phan Ngoc Tho, after that visit, instructed the relevant agencies to develop the mechanism and policy for the households in especially difficult circumstances, unable to build houses in the resettlement area. That is to mobilize sources of support to build the fully-equipped houses in the form of turnkey, with the budget of about VND 200 million.

 “Mr. Buu will be on that list. We will provide maximum support for this plight,” Tho said firmly at that time.

After more than 6 months of implementation, the special houses were fulfilled on schedule. As Buu held the key to the house assigned by the authorities, his eyes filled with tears. Now he no longer has to worry about the scorching days, or the chill rainy seasons.

“Everything is like a dream to me. I can only say thank you,” Mr. Buu said, adding, “We are indebted to the authorities, to those who always support the poor in relocation to the new place in such a convenient way.”

Standing beside him, all 3 children did not believe it was true. “Our house,Dad? Is it our house? There is also a mezzanine. So beautiful! ”, Buu's first son about to enter the 9th grade kept asking. He replied, "That's right, dear. Since today, we have moved here.” The children burst into joy.

Fulfilling the promise to the people

Next to Mr. Buu's house is a row of townhouses, built in accordance with the model for special poor households on an area of ​​61m2. Each house includes 1 floor and 1 mezzanine. It is also accompanied by infrastructure such as electricity, water, optical cable. In front of the row of townhouses lies the line of newly-planted trees sprouting, as if to welcome the residents with the desire to settle down on the new land.

Chairman of Provincial People's Committee Phan Ngoc Tho handed rice and salt to the poor households with the wish that they can live a comfortable life in their new house. Photo: THAI BINH

On the day when the people received the key to the new house, two special guests, Mr. Le Truong Luu, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Mr. Phan Ngoc Tho, Chairman of the People's Committee were present very early. The two leaders personally handed the keys and showed the people to the houses as they promised that the houses had to be built and handed over to the poor who moved from Thuong Thanh on schedule.

According to the local custom, the two special guests gave each house a bag of rice and a bag of white salt in the hope that the people will have a prosperous and peaceful life in the new house.

“At the end of my life, my dream has also come true: living in a tidy and solid house,” Mr. Le Van Giay aged 86 said clearly and lucidly. Holding the key in his hand, he smiled contentedly. Occasionally, he pulled out the key to contemplate and then held his wife's hand tightly.

The spaciously-built houses for poor households. Photo: PHAN THANH

For over 40 years of living temporarily on the heritage land, he kept thinking that his life will also pass quietly like many other lives and never thought there would be a solid house in a planned area with such thorough roads. “I think that if I lived and would die in Thuong Thanh, and did not know when my children and grandchildren would leave there. However, my thought is wrong. I am delighted that at the end of my life, I also have a decent place of living and get happier when from now on a new door will open to the coming generation of children," Giay said happily.

The small hamlets that nestled in the ancient, long walls on Thuong Thanh now become a memory. A new, brighter life gradually comes into being. For Thuong Thanh people, stable life is no longer a dream but a reality.

By PHAN THANH