The brick factory of veteran Luu Cong Ruyen.

Through various creative approaches and business models led by veterans, Dien Bien Province provides thousands of jobs annually for ethnic minority youths, who either gain stable employment or receive support from veterans in terms of capital, knowledge, and experience to overcome poverty.

Taking us on a tour of the Duyen Hung Limited Company’s tunnel brick factory owned by veteran Luu Cong Ruyen, a worker named Lo Thi Van shared: “Both myself and nearly 100 other workers have been with the company for many years now.”

Workers receive an average monthly salary of 8 to 12 million VND, along with insurance coverage, protective equipment, and annual health check-ups. With comprehensive labour benefits, stable employment close to home making it convenient for childcare, workers feel secure in their jobs and are committed to long-term employment with the company.

In our conversation, Luu Cong Ruyen discusses how he began his entrepreneurial journey. Acknowledging it was a difficult period, he recalled with slight sadness: “Back in April 2009, after leaving the military, I decided to sell all my possessions in Nam Dinh Province and moved my family to Dien Bien to start a business.”

Taking over a brick factory with nearly 50 workers, outdated production lines, scarce raw materials, and few customers, Ruyen believed that producing good products would attract customers, so he constantly encouraged workers to give their best effort and work together.

“Every month, I disclosed our sales, products, and profits so everyone would understand the current situation and business direction, thereby building trust with workers. Everyone worked enthusiastically, producing more products with better quality, attracting more customers,” shared Ruyen.

Over the past 15 years, the company’s charter capital has increased from 1.5 billion VND to 24 billion VND. Workers who have been with the company since the beginning have become team leaders, and some workers’ children have also voluntarily applied to work at the company.

But what makes the veteran most happy is that the company still managed to maintain jobs for hundreds of workers, even during the worst days of the COVID-19 pandemic. “This gives me peace of mind and more motivation to persevere in business,” said Ruyen.

Also, exemplary veteran entrepreneur Luong Van Sy from Manh Danh Village, Ang Cang Commune, Muong Ang District, has been inspiring local young people with his coffee development model. With just a few thousand square metres of land for coffee cultivation, Sy has diligently tilled the soil and tended to the trees for over a decade. Year after year, season after season, Sy has saved the money from selling coffee to buy fertiliser and more seedlings to expand his plantation.

Today, after more than ten years of nurturing and cultivation, Sy has over 2 hectares of harvestable coffee plants. In recent years, with good coffee prices, Sy has been earning over 300 million VND annually. Despite his advanced age, the veteran still visits his garden daily, meticulously guiding his children, grandchildren, and villagers on how to care for the trees and prune branches. Following Sy’s example, many young Thai ethnic people in Manh Danh Village have become determined to establish their own businesses.

Highly appreciating the dedication and contributions of veterans in economic development during peacetime, Major General Luu Trong Lu, Chairman of the Dien Bien Veterans Association, affirmed: “Each exemplary veteran entrepreneur serves as a role model and inspiration for thousands of people and today’s youth.”

“Doing business is already challenging for young people, so for veterans, it’s many times more difficult. However, with the will and determination of Uncle Ho’s soldiers, many veterans have strived to rise up; they are not only living examples of being useful and creating wealth for their families but also of contributing to the prosperity of where they live.”

According to the Dien Bien Veterans Association, each district and city in Dien Bien Province now has 5-10 models of successful economic development for veterans to learn from.

The province has more than 30 businesses and 12 cooperatives owned by veterans with annual incomes of around 500 million VND, as well as nearly 600 farms, of which over 50% earn profits between 100-400 million VND per year. Veterans with good to wealthy economic status make up nearly 40% of the total membership.

The economic production models and garden-pond-livestock models of exemplary veterans have created hundreds of jobs for local people while actively contributing to social activities initiated by local veterans’ associations.

Under the leadership of the Dien Bien Veterans Association, the local chapters have coordinated to organise many historical talks between veterans and students and local people, helping today’s young generation better understand the contributions and sacrifices of previous generations.

Through these historical stories and examples of living, fighting, working and contributing by generations of Uncle Ho's soldiers, today’s young generation in Dien Bien gains a deeper understanding and appreciation for the veterans in the northwest region who have pledged to live up to the trust and love of the people and country.