Canh Lien used to be considered out-of-the-way place although it was just 25km away from Van Canh town, Van Canh district. Because there was no road connections available, local people had too few chances to go out. However, as we visited Canh Lien at the end of this July, we saw a lot of miraculous changes.
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Ha Giao village in Canh Lien commune now sees power and roads
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10 years ago, we visited Canh Lien – the roof of the Binh Dinh at the height of 1.146m above the sea level. Our visit took place 2 months after the 9-11 event. A female teacher of Ha Giao – Kon Lot school asked us: “the United States of America has just been attacked by somebody, hasn’t it?”. Even the teacher couldn’t update latest information about such a big event of terrorist attacks, let alone common people.
In this visit, we were riding motorcycles smoothly on road to Canh Lien while watching imposing scenes of mountains and forests along the way. On the contrary, a dozen years ago, there was no means to get there but went on foot from dawn till dusk.
Dream becomes true
It had been a nightmare for motorcyclists to travel to Canh Lien before 2010. Because of stiff slope, large rocks and gravels, the motorcycles might slip backward while going uphill although they were shifted to 1st gear. Or they might coast impetuously in spite of nose wheel and rear wheel brakes. Canh Lien people dreamed of a better road.
The dream came true in June 2010 as Van Canh district People’s Committee started to build an over-20km concrete cement road connecting Canh Thuan commune to Canh Lien commune. Total cost of the road building was over 111 VND. The most challenging tasks have already been over. Some tortuous parts of the road are now under construction. Sharp bends and stiff slopes are smoothened or leveled out. The road becomes easier for traffic.
Local people enjoys wordless happiness at the new road. They start to purchase motorcycles regardless the unfinished road. The whole commune now has 567 households with 2,247 people and more than 200 motorcycles. Mr. Dinh Van Muc, Canh Lien Party Committee Secretary, told us about benefits which the road had brought to the local people. We found most impressive at the fact that ambulance could reach Canh Lien the first time. Strong local villagers used to take turn carrying sick people to Ka Te village, Canh Thuan commune for ambulance. Many sick people died on the way. “The ambulance can now reach Canh Lien medical station, timely carry seriously-sick patients to Van Canh district Hospital for treatment” – say Dr. Chau Thanh Binh from Canh Lien medical station.
Electricity at Canh Lien
8 ethnic minority villages of Canh Lien used to enjoy 3 hours of electricity per night thanks to a diesel machine with fuel subsidized by the district government. On August 13, 2010, electricity supply work for Canh Lien under the Rural Energy Project II (EPII) in Binh Dinh was put into operation. The work has 22.5km of middle-voltage cable, 4 transformer stations with total capacity of 100KVA – the largest scale work of the project in the central region. At present, high voltage electricity is available all day round at 4 villages of Ha Giao, Kon Lot, Ka Nau, Ka Bung.
Having electricity, administrative officials of Canh Lien commune People’s Committee don’t have to use an old typewriter anymore; don’t have to go to Van Canh town to draft important documents on computers and don’t have to issue handwritten documents any longer. The committee now has 2 sets of computers, a printer and a photocopier.
The electricity also brings positive changes in entertainment habits of the local people. 90% of households in Canh Lien now have TVs with parabolic antennas. So they can catch signals of 8 channels. Owners of grocery stores at some villages even purchase large fridges to serve customers.
In spite of the results gained, Canh Lien is still poor. We can see that in a 2010 report by the local government: 156 cows, 33 goats, 86 pigs died in a long-lasting cold spell and floods caused by heavy rains; large areas of wet rice fields and farms on mountain slopes destroyed by frequent floods; budget spending always surpass budget revenues. The local people work hard but aren’t able to escape poverty because of objectives reasons, such as decreasing areas of farming land and residential land.
Canh Lien people are waiting for extension of the gridline and the road to the rest 4 villages. They also expect for more marvelous achievements to help them get rid of the poverty.
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