An unforgettable time of poverty.
In Binh Tan village, Cam Binh commune, Mr. and Mrs. Nguyen Viet So and Nguyen Thi Quyen (both 96 years old) are still healthy and lucid. At an age of rarity, the stories and memories of a difficult time before the August Revolution in 1945 are still clearly remembered by the two.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Quyen was born in Thach Thang commune, Thach Ha district (old) in a poor family. Her father had to live and work for landlords to earn money to raise his children. Her mother carried loads, traded, worked as a hired laborer all year round, but life was still lacking.
The family's meal at that time was mainly cassava, sweet potatoes, vegetables, and porridge to survive the day.
In 1949, Mr. Quyen married Mr. Nguyen Viet So when he was only 19 years old. After that, the two of them successively had 8 children.
According to Mr. So, in 1945, he participated in the uprising to seize power. After the August Revolution was successful, people's lives gradually improved.
Happy with a prosperous and modern life
Born and raised in poverty, Mr. and Mrs. So understand better than anyone the value of a prosperous life today.
Previously, the two elderly families mainly lived by farming, relying on fields like other families. During the war years and the subsidy period, life was still extremely difficult. In addition to farming, the couple also had to work as hired laborers, catching crabs and snails to raise their children.
There was a time when Ms. So participated as a cooperative official in the locality. Ms. Nguyen Thi Quyen also participated in youth volunteers, went to build dikes and roads and worked as a female official in Cam Binh commune for many years.
Looking back at the journey he has gone through, Mr. Quyen said that after peace was restored, along with the leadership and innovation of the Party and the State, people's lives have been increasingly improved.
From being hungry, torn and lacking in all aspects, life today has changed a lot. People have conditions to work and produce, gradually rise up, no longer having to face food and clothing shortages like in previous years.
Mr. Nguyen Viet So also said that for those who are still healthy and diligent in labor, life today has many opportunities to rise up, build spacious houses, and stabilize their lives.
At the age of 96, Mr. and Mrs. So still like to travel around, visit and witness firsthand the changes of their homeland and country. Every time they want to go out, the two old people ask their children and grandchildren to take them sightseeing by car.
From the days of having to eat cassava, sweet potatoes, and porridge to survive, to today sitting in a car to admire the new roads, the rural areas that are changing day by day, for Mr. and Mrs. So, it is a long journey of life.
Life is now full and modern, it can be said that there is almost no shortage of anything. Every day, my homeland and country continue to change and develop. I wish my husband and I were still healthy and could live for many more years to experience and witness our homeland and country continue to develop and rise," Ms. So shared.
Mr. Nguyen Viet Cuong (41 years old, residing in Cam Binh commune) shared that he is very happy and proud that his two paternal grandparents, Mr. Nguyen Viet So and Nguyen Thi Quyen, although old, are still healthy and lucid.
Both elderly people still have bright eyes, and can read books, newspapers and watch television every day to know current affairs news.
They have lived more than half their lives in poverty. Now life has improved, so I hope they live many more years for their children and grandchildren to take care of and repay them," Mr. Cuong shared.
