Luong Hoa commune (Giong Trom district, Ben Tre province) is known nationwide for this heroic land that gave birth to a legendary female general of the Vietnam People's Army - Ms. Nguyen Thi Dinh (Ms. Ba Dinh). With the honor and pride of being the hometown of Co Ba Dinh, the Party Committee, government and people of Luong Hoa commune are constantly striving to build an increasingly developed commune.
The mark of Co Ba Dinh
During these days, visitors to Luong Hoa commune have increased dramatically, as Ben Tre province organizes many practical and meaningful activities to celebrate the 105th anniversary of the birth of General Nguyen Thi Dinh. Previously, on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of Ben Tre Dong Doi Dinh (January 17, 2025), his hometown Xu Dua inaugurated the restoration and embellishment of the Memorial Site of General Nguyen Thi Dinh.
To commemorate and honor the great contributions of Co Ba Dinh, Ben Tre province built a Memorial Site for General Nguyen Thi Dinh and put it into operation in December 2003 in Phong Dien hamlet, Luong Hoa commune. After more than 20 years, the project has been renovated, embellished, repaired, and upgraded with items: Temple; Reception House, Beer House, Exhibition House, fences, coconut House, etc. With a spacious appearance and a synchronously invested infrastructure, the Memorial Area has become a destination for traditional education, promoting the culture and history of Ben Tre to domestic and international friends.
Adjacent to the Memorial Site is Nguyen Thi Dinh High School, built spaciously, cleanly and beautifully. After school, the female student's white ao dai stands out especially in the green coconut gardens on both sides of the road. Not far away, in Hoa Thanh A hamlet (Luong Hoa commune), on March 14, 2025, the local government and the family of female general Nguyen Thi Dinh held a ceremony to receive the certificate of status as a provincial-level historical - cultural relic for the birth and growth of the female general.
During the war years, the house where Co Ba Dinh was born and raised was severely damaged by bombs and bullets, behind the house there is still a large bomb hole. During her lifetime, Co Ba Dinh advised to keep the bomb hole in its original state to save for future generations to see and learn more about history, just reinforce and clean the cage mouth.
Coconut trees still shine
Provincial Road 885 from Ben Tre City to Giong Trom Town has green coconut gardens on both sides of the road. If during the war, coconut trees were carved into a resilient, indomitable "Ben Tre standing" shape, today the coconut trees are bringing the hometown's economy to "three strips of hardship" to increasingly develop and increase.
Mr. Truong Hoang Ha - Party Secretary, Chairman of the People's Council of Luong Hoa commune - said: Luong Hoa commune is divided into 2 agricultural production areas, including coconut growing areas and fruit growing areas, but coconut trees are still the main source with an area of nearly 1,200 hectares. Local authorities and coconut farmers are always interested in improving farming methods, applying scientific and technical advances to improve the economic efficiency of coconut trees.
Traditional coconut trees in Luong Hoa are taking a new, modern direction, in the direction of building a value chain of agricultural products for coconut trees. By coordinating with Ben Tre Import-Export Joint Stock Company (Betrimex) through Luong Hoa Agricultural Service Cooperative, the area of organic coconut is increasing, currently up to over 315 hectares with 411 coconut growing households certified as organic coconut. From environmentally friendly organic coconut trees, dozens of quality products are produced, favored by consumers, making the aroma of "Ben Tre coconut" increasingly widespread, not only in the country.
Walking on newly built and upgraded rural roads in Luong Hoa, seeing children cycling to school, on both sides of the road are fruit-laden organic coconut models, the wind from the Luong Hoa River blows up coolly, we fully feel the meaning of a peaceful new rural area in a place that was once a very fierce battlefield.
Building new rural areas
Vice Chairman of Luong Hoa Commune People's Committee Le Van Binh said: Poverty reduction is one of the key tasks that has always been of interest to Party committees, authorities and the Fatherland Front, and socio-political organizations from the commune to the grassroots. Rapidly reducing the poverty rate helps localities soon successfully build new rural communes. The Management Board of the Commune's National Target Programs on Poverty Reduction has always been constantly consolidated, with specific assignments to each member. The development board of hamlets, associations and unions are in charge of the motto "one table, one rest, one work", "no one is left behind" to support, monitor, and help the poor participate in economic development, and escape poverty sustainably. In addition to coconut trees, the locality has been replicating many other production models such as pet livestock projects, goat livestock projects, preferential loan support projects in improving vegetable gardens, etc.
Currently, the breeding pet project (phibiological breeding) has 19 participating households, bringing high efficiency, contributing to creating stable income for the poor in the locality. Many poor and near-poor households participating in this project have escaped poverty sustainably and have not returned to poverty. The initial breeding goat breeding project has 19 households participating with a total amount of 270 million VND (from preferential loans), of which, there are 15 poor households, 4 near-poor households, each household buys 2 breeding goats. Currently, the commune is recovering capital to translate and replicate this model for poor households in the area. Currently, the model is developing, many households have stable income, the price of goat meat is currently very stable from 120 - 140 thousand VND/kg. In particular, the model of renovating ornamental gardens with 32 registered households is being surveyed by the locality to soon implement this project.
Mr. Phan Minh Tien's household in Phong Dien hamlet has just escaped poverty in early 2024 with a breeding goat breeding model. Previously, Mr. Tien's household was a poor household due to lack of land for production and capital to do business. Mr. Tien was an elderly person and living with his grandchild. After receiving guidance and support from the Farmers' Association of the commune and his family with preferential loans, Mr. Tien's household invested in raising 15 goats. Mr. Tien said that his goat herd is currently developing very well, and there are some goats that can be sold.
Programs to support poor households and introduce jobs to local workers for labor export have helped many families in Luong Hoa escape poverty, even get rich. Every year, the locality introduces and supplies dozens of workers to work abroad in the Japanese and Korean markets. With stable jobs and attractive salaries, thanks to this source of income, many workers can send money to support their families, invest in children's education or develop businesses after returning to their hometown. Many households that were previously poor households have risen to have a prosperous life thanks to the contributions of relatives working abroad.
Secretary of the Luong Hoa Commune Party Committee Truong Hoang Ha shared that with the achievements that have been achieved, his hometown Luong Hoa has today put on a new look, worthy of the heroic tradition of a steadfast land. These changes not only demonstrate the efforts of local authorities but also demonstrate the spirit of solidarity and creativity of the people here in the cause of building and developing the homeland. As the hometown of female general Nguyen Thi Dinh, Luong Hoa commune always focuses on preserving and promoting historical values and revolutionary traditions. Nguyen Thi Dinh Memorial Site has become a red address for traditional education for the younger generation. The local government and people here are determined to take Co Ba Dinh's hometown further and further, becoming a livable countryside with comprehensive socio-economic development.
