Late afternoon in early June, the sunlight spreads over the hillsides of Bac Hung commune, Van Lang district, Lang Son, reflecting on the newly completed house of Ms. Luong Thi Xoan, an officer of the Finance and Accounting Department, District Health Center.
Although the newly painted wall still has a mark of bad luck, the woman's eyes were filled with a radiant happiness.
Ms. Xoan pointed to the newly repaired wall, emotionally saying: This house was built more than 20 years ago, in the traditional style of the Tay people. At that time, due to limited finances, the family could only work temporarily, and then just survive through many rainy and sunny seasons. For many years, the walls have peeled off in patches, the floor is bulky and severely damaged".
One night, my son was studying, and the wall fell in front of him. One day, her mother-in-law, an old man, fell down because the house foundation was cracked and broken. Every night, the worries of a dilapidated house surrounded the couple.
But it is not easy to repair. Her husband does not have a stable job, her mother-in-law is often sick, and the whole family only depends on the couple's small salary.
"It was not until I received a notice of support from the Trade Union Shelter program that I dared to dream of repairing my house. Now the roof is more solid, the next storm season is more secure," Ms. Xoan confided.
Not only Ms. Xoan's family, dozens of other houses in Lang Son province are also being built with the cooperation of the Trade Union and businesses. Each house is a piece of life, a story. Some are construction workers and have to rent a room for 10 years. Some are single mothers, and have to wear plastic sheets on rainy nights.
In Luong Thac village, Nhac Ky commune, where the border wind and sun are still rising every day, Ms. Trieu Thi Khuyen's family is now filled with laughter.
With low income, husband and children working in the fields, and a disabled daughter, the dilapidated fibro cement-roofed house has become an irresistible burden.
I never thought I would ever be able to live in a solid house. That is the lifelong dream of 6 people in the family. Now that I have the support, I am so happy that I cry, Ms. Khuyen said emotionally.
According to the Lang Son Provincial Labor Federation, from the beginning of 2025 to now, the organization's Social Fund has supported the construction and repair of 29 Trade Union Shelters with a total cost of 880 million VND. Of which, 15 newly built houses were supported with 40 million VND each, 14 houses were repaired, and each house was supported with 20 million VND.
In 2024 alone, the Social Fund of the Provincial Federation of Labor has supported 62 union members and workers with difficult housing circumstances, including 40 newly built houses and 22 repaired houses with a total cost of up to 2.04 billion VND.
"There are houses located deep in border communes, dozens of kilometers of dirt roads from the district center. But wherever there are union members in difficulty, there is a Trade Union accompanying them, affirmed the representative of the Provincial Labor Federation.
