Fishing village in dry season
The fishing village (group 14, Thinh Lang ward, Hoa Binh city) is located about 3km from the foot of Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant, with 50 households, including 7 poor households and 4 near-poor households, living a difficult life, struggling to make a living by fishing and raising fish in cages. All activities of each household are contained in a narrow space of only about 20m2 in floating houses, next to each other, bobbing along the water.
It is also from these deprived homes that 3-4 generations in a family were born, grew up, got married.
In early December, the Da River gradually dried up, making life more difficult for the people of the fishing village.
According to the reporter, the water level in the fishing village has dropped lower than when the Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant released floodwaters. Mud marks are still imprinted on the tops of the eggplant trees along the shore.
Mr. Ngo Van Khoat (65 years old), a resident of the fishing village, shared: “The water level has gradually stabilized, the water is clear so there are not many fish left. The current income of fishermen in the village is mainly from catching shrimp, but some days there is less, some days there is more.”
This season, people no longer have to worry about floods and storms, but every night, they are troubled by countless struggles to make a living.
In the afternoon, Mrs. Ngo Thi Luyen's family quickly ate a meal to prepare to go fishing on the river. Mrs. Luyen confided: "This year the weather is harsh, many fish died. Currently, the family's income is only 150,000-200,000 VND/day from catching shrimp and fish, just enough to get by."
According to the women in the fishing village, because fishing does not provide a stable income, many young people in the village have left to find other jobs. Many people have gone ashore to find work as construction workers, delivery men, and workers in the central industrial park of Hoa Binh City.
Longing to get ashore
Talking to reporters, Mr. Ngo Van Thong (72 years old), Head of the fishing village, said: “Most of the people in the fishing village come from Trung Ha village, Ba Vi district and Thanh Son district (Phu Tho). For many generations, they have been passing down the profession of fishing on the Da River to their children. Most of the people are blood relatives.”
“During the recent storm, each household received 500,000 VND/person from the Government, and recently received an additional 1,500,000 VND/person. Although the Party and the Government helped us in every way, promptly supported us in difficult times, our lifelong wish is to have land and a house to escape from living on the river, so that our children and grandchildren can build a new life,” said the head of the fishing village.
Mr. Le Thanh Binh - Chairman of Thinh Lang Ward People's Committee - said that currently, land allocation and resettlement for people in the fishing village are still facing many difficulties. Currently, the City People's Council has also had a few plans on this issue, but has not yet agreed on a specific plan.
