Soldiers bring water to people who are facing a severe water shortage. VNA/VNS Photo Hồng Điệp

GIA LAI – Soldiers are not just there to protect borders from invaders, but also to provide a helping hand to locals in need.

That’s exactly what’s happening in the border area of Tây Nguyên (Central Highlands) Province of Gia Lai where people suffering from severe shortages are being assisted by members of the armed forces.

The prolonged drought and extremely hot weather have dried up water resources in the border district of Đức Cơ causing difficulties for the locals’ lives and production.

Company 72 of military regiment 15 stationed in Ia Nan Commune have been supplying water daily to residents.

Trần Đức Quyết, secretary of the company’s youth union, said: “During the prolonged droughts and extremely hot weather, many areas had been suffering severe shortage of water for daily use.”

“Therefore, the youth union set up a rescue plan to supply enough clean water for the households in the dry season,” said Quyết.

Every day, the company used water tank trucks to help 420 households in the two hamlets of Sơn and Đức Hưng in Ia Nan Commune, two of the worst affected areas

“Since earlier April, we have suffered a serious water shortage,” said Rơ Ma Chiết, head of Sơn Hamlet.

“Now we feel relieved because the soldiers brought water for us.”

Nguyễn Văn Hoãn, a resident of Đức Hưng Hamlet added: “Last month, like other families in the hamlet, we had to save every drop of water.

“The fresh water we got from the public water tank was only enough for cooking and we had to go to streams for taking bath and washing,” he said.

Đặng Văn Phương, a truck driver, said: “The image of people day by day with cans and buckets waiting to collect water had created more motivation for all soldiers to continue with this activity.

“We want to expand to other communes in the district to help people survive in the droughts.”

The prolonged droughts caused rivers, streams and wells dried up.

The water source for the soldier was not abundant but they tried to use it economically so they can share with the local people.

“This year, the droughts were unusual. We found the local people faced water shortages so we decided to share our water with them,” said Lieutenant Colonel Hà Trọng Bảo, director of Company 72. – VNS