Dilapidated houses disappear as National Programme takes hold

Lê Việt Dũng

HÀ NỘI — The initiative to remove dilapidated houses nationwide in Việt Nam is making big strides and is on track to reach its goal by 2025. It is part of the National Target Programme on Sustainable Poverty Reduction between 2021 and 2025.

By September 2023, more than 3,500 impoverished families in Tuyên Quang Province had received financial support to fix their houses or build new ones. Bắc Giang and Yên Bái provinces were not far behind, with approximately 3,800 and 3,500 families getting assistance, respectively.

Cao Bằng Province is another shining example. The local government has provided funding to over 3,600 families for new houses or to repair houses as of May 2023.

The Lý Văn Nó family in Thượng Thôn Commune, Hà Quảng District, Cao Bằng Province, is a heartwarming example of how this initiative is changing lives.

With ten people (Nó’s parents, Nó and his wife, and their six children) crammed into a tiny 40sq.m house, life was tough. The walls were just old boards propped up by bamboo poles and the leaky roof offered little protection from the harsh weather.

“It was awful during the rainy season,” Nó recalled. “Water would pour in everywhere and it was always hot or cold with no proper insulation. But we were so poor, unable to afford to fix the house.”

Nó’s old house, built of old boards and bamboo poles poorly tied together. — VNS Photo Lê VIệt Dũng

Luckily, local officials noticed their struggle. They stepped in, assessed the situation and provided financial aid for Nó to build a new house. They even helped him get some livestock to boost their income.

The difference is incredible. By 2023, the Nó family was celebrating their spacious new 100sq.m house. No leaks, no more extreme temperatures – just a comfortable place to live.

And their financial situation is looking up too. Their livestock has grown into four cows, a calf and two buffaloes.

Not far from the Nó family, the Sùng Văn Đình family also got assistance to build a new home, but that was not all. Local officials also connected Đình with some extra work to bring in more income on top of what he makes from farming.

“Now I can grow corn and raise ducks, but I also work in construction,” Đình said. “Getting paid by the day makes a big difference for my wife, our four children and me.”

Thượng Thôn Commune is a prime example of how well this initiative can work.

In 2021, 25 new houses were built and four were repaired in the commune, with a total budget of VNĐ1.5 billion (US$59,000). The following year, 19 new houses were built and 22 were revamped. In 2023, the numbers were six new and 12 repaired.

A local police officer visits Nó’s new house, which meets the ‘Three -Strong’ criteria (strong foundation, strong walls, and strong roof). — VNS Photo Lê Việt Dũng

This year, Thượng Thôn’s authorities set an ambitious goal of building 50 new houses and fixing another 60. With 455 impoverished families and 86 close to poverty, replacing dilapidated houses with better ones is a top priority for the local government and its residents.

One challenge they face is getting building materials to remote areas, because the roads are not always ideal in Thượng Thôn, which makes transporting things like cement, sand and gravel difficult.

To overcome the hurdle, the local government is getting creative. It encouraged the community to pitch in and help move materials, making it easier for those in need to get the help they deserve. — VNS