Thanh Son district takes care of ethnic minorities

Thanh Son district has 21 communes in the ethnic minority and mountainous areas, including 7 communes in Zone III, 2 communes in Zone II, and the remaining communes in Zone I. There are 6 communes recognized as ATK.

The district has 263 residential areas, with over 130,000 people belonging to 32 ethnic groups, of which ethnic minorities make up 61.5%. Identifying the importance of caring for and supporting the economic and social development of people in ethnic minority and mountainous areas, Thanh Son district has effectively implemented various ethnic policies and programs during the 2019-2024 period, contributing to improving the living standards of ethnic minorities in the region.

Under the National Target Program for Socio-Economic Development of Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas, from 2021 to now, the district has focused on integrating various funding sources to invest in building essential infrastructure in ethnic minority and mountainous regions. The district has completed 81 projects, including: 31 transportation works, 29 schools, 1 irrigation project, 1 healthcare facility, 17 cultural facilities, 1 community water supply project, and 1 project to stabilize residential arrangements.

Thanks to the funding, the socio-economic infrastructure in the ethnic minority areas has been progressively developed in a modern and integrated manner. To date, 100% of communes in the district have roads to the center; 99.6% of households are connected to the national electricity grid; 96.5% of rural households have access to clean drinking water; 100% of communes with large ethnic minority populations have solid schools and health stations; education, healthcare, culture, and social conditions in ethnic minority areas have shown significant improvements. The poverty rate has rapidly decreased. The quality of education has improved, with many ethnic minority students overcoming difficulties and achieving excellent results. Every year, tens of thousands of people from disadvantaged communes are given free health insurance cards and receive healthcare services.

In addition to supporting infrastructure, the program also provides funding for new housing for poor ethnic minority households. From 2021 to now, Thanh Son district has allocated funds to build new homes for 62 poor ethnic minority families. The provision of new homes has given these families the opportunity to settle down, work more confidently, and escape poverty.

Mr. Nguyen Quang Hai, Head of the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs of Thanh Son district, said: “Currently, the district has 848 people working abroad, with an average of 1,100 workers trained annually, of which 669 are from ethnic minority groups. The total number of workers with qualifications and certifications in the district is 27.3%, and the employment rate for regular jobs is 94%.”

Chi Huong