Warm meal after the storm
At dusk, in the house just handed over not long ago in Loc An commune (Hue City), Ms. Vo Thi Tram carefully prepared dinner for the family. The meal was still simple with a bowl of soup, a plate of vegetables, and a few familiar braised fish like many days before. But for her, today's meal was much more delicious, because she ate in a new, solid, bright house, without the scene of rain and wind blowing every time the weather changes.
“After the natural disaster, our people were almost exhausted, suffering great losses. Thanks to the support and help of the Party and State, we have a new safe place to live. Near Tet, the house has not been fully prepared, but surely this is enough. Sitting and eating makes my heart feel much lighter,” Ms. Tram said, her eyes sparkling with joy.
For Mrs. Tram, happiness is not only in a cozy meal, but also in a peaceful sleep after many days of anxiety. Now, in the new room, she can sleep soundly. In the next room, her grandson excitedly arranges a new study corner, the desk is placed close to the window, and the lights are bright. She boasted that she would study more diligently and hoped to invite friends to play in the family's new house soon.
In the mountainous commune of Khe Tre, the joy of welcoming Spring in a new house is also spreading to Mrs. Nguyen Thi Khuyen's family. In recent days, she has hardly slept, but not because of worry but because of happiness. Just a few months ago, during the October 2025 flood, the house and all the assets accumulated throughout her life were swept away by the floodwaters in just one night. Returning the next morning, everything was just piles of rubble with a few broken bowls left.
In the midst of a seemingly deadlock, Ms. Khuyen's family received information about being allocated land and supported to build a new house in the resettlement area. Just over a month later, the new house was completed. Although not as big as the old house, the house was built solidly, located in a spacious resettlement area, with wide roads, lighting system, near the center, helping her family no longer worry about landslides every rainy and flood season. "Having a house to live in, having a safe place, my husband and I have more motivation to do business, save, and gradually complete it. This Tet is stable, uncle," Ms. Khuyen shared.
Welcoming a special Tet
Not far from Ms. Khuyen's house, Ms. Nguyen Thi Hiep (70 years old) also just moved to a new house. Although her health is not good, joy is evident on the face of the elderly woman when rearranging each item in a small house full of living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and closed toilets. Ms. Hiep's son said that before, she wanted to stay in the old land and build a temporary hut to live in. However, thanks to the encouragement of the government and family, she moved to a resettlement area, where there is synchronous infrastructure, convenient markets, helping her children and grandchildren feel more secure in taking care of their elderly mother.
Those new roofs were built from the sweat, effort and spirit of serving the people of officers and soldiers of the Hue City Military Command and Hue City Police in the Quang Trung Campaign. For more than a month, officers and soldiers worked from early morning to late at night, through holidays, through days off, overcoming sun and rain to meet the progress of handing over houses to people to celebrate Tet. Many young soldiers for the first time took flights, mixed mortar, poured concrete, but all shared a determination to help people soon have a safe home to celebrate Tet.
Along with the efforts of the soldiers is the sharing and support of the people. Bottles of cool water and simple meals at the construction site have added motivation to the soldiers. After moving to new residences, households are also gradually united, "lighting up and turning off the lights together", together building a stable life in the resettlement area.
This spring, in the new houses built and repaired from the Quang Trung Campaign, joy comes not only from the tiled roof and solid walls, but also from the belief and hope of being built. New homes help people settle down, feel secure in working, and rise up after natural disasters, in line with the spirit of "leaving no one behind".
