Over recent years, the National Target Programme on Building New Rural Areas has brought positive changes to the Trung Son Village, Hoa Lien Commune, Hoa Vang Suburban District, Da Nang, thereby helping this rural area get new face and improving living conditions of the villagers. The village now boasts a comprehensive lighting system and extensive concrete roads, vastly modernizing its landscape. Most recently, the village has successfully completed the refurbishment of the 1,700m² village cultural house at a total cost of nearly VND1.4 billion

Visiting the Trung Son Village after prolonged spells of persistent drizzle, visitors are really deeply impressed with the tender glow of the year-end's golden sunlight, casting a radiant sheen on the wide concrete roads, and adorning every canopy and leafy tree.

Mr. Ha Thuc Vinh, the village chief, happily said that the old village cultural house had been rundown with overgrown trees and neglected surroundings, underwent refurbishment in April 2023. The funding for the refurbishment work came from the national budget for building new rural areas, helping the village transform its degraded cultural house into a 1,700 square meter fully-tiled site serving local residents. This site features a mini football field, and a physical fitness space with outdoor fitness equipment designated for exercise which all were funded by cash donations by philanthropists and local residents.

“The village is home to 190 households, with 644 people in total, majority of whom are small traders and workers in the city's industrial parks. Despite the current challenges facing local residents, their living conditions have been improved significantly while positive changes have seen in their village with the construction of new homes, children having access to education, and green, clean, and beautiful living environment. The positive results have been attributed to great efforts made by local authorities and social organizations", shared Mr. Vinh.

Additionally, the village has been active in launching the campaigns of ‘Sorting Household Waste at the Source” and ‘Green - Clean - Beautiful Sunday’ as a part of its efforts to raise awareness about environment protection among the villagers.

The village has also used social media platforms to keep the villagers informed about guidelines and policies from national and municipal governments, along with district, communal, and village-level authorities,  in order to foster solidarity among the villagers. Hence, the village has been recognized as a cultural village for many years, and even named one of the best emulators in the district.

Mr. Nguyen Van Son, a villager, commented, "Our village has received great care from local government with practical support to help improve living conditions of local residents. For example, the renovation of the village cultural house sparked great excitement among us as this site serves as a gathering place of the villagers every afternoon. Moreover, the cultural house plays a crucial role in shaping the village's identity."

The Trung Son Village places significant emphasis on honouring its rich history. It is a unique place in the city as it is home to a lush forest covering an area of 107,960 square meters. This forest served as a strategic base during the 30-year resistance war against foreign invaders. Hidden inside area and along the forest's edge are final resting places for nearly 200 martyrs while these areas are also home to ancient Cham wells, and historical relics like the Trung Son village communal house built in 1724. The village also boasts a memorial stele dedicated to fallen heroes. According to data published by the People's Committee of Hoa Lien Commune, there are 24 Vietnamese Heroic Mothers, 69 martyrs, and 2 Heroes of the People's Armed Forces in the Trung Son Village.

Former village head, Mr. Vo Chi Thanh, expressed, "Each year, the village pays special attention to promoting the “Paying the Debt of Gratitude” movement by organizing festivals in an attempt to help younger generations remember their roots, as well as educate them about the national revolutionary traditions.

The villagers are consistently aware of their responsibility to protect and maintain the forest, abiding by three fundamental rules: no logging or exploitation of forest resources, no use of white sand from the Trung Son Forest for building houses, and not use of the forests for burial purposes. As a result, the Trung Son Forest has maintained its original pristine condition, and has become a historically and culturally significant place.

Reporting by HUYNH VU - Translating by HOAI TRANG