The Department of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs cooperates with local authorities and businesses to build and gift a house to Phạm Thị Xiêm in Phú An Commune, Bến Cát City. Photo baobinhduong.vn

BÌNH DƯƠNG – Many individuals with meritorious service in Bình Dương Province will celebrate the New Year in new homes.

The Department of Labour, War Invalids, and Social Affairs (DOLISA) this year collaborated with localities and businesses to support the construction and renovation of 45 houses for people with meritorious service (NCC) in Bình Dương Province.

As the Lunar New Year of 2025 approaches, many families can hardly contain their joy at celebrating the holiday in their new homes.

According to Hoàng Kim Hà, a war invalid residing in Mỹ Phước Ward, Bến Cát City, the Lunar New Year of 2025 will be her "warmest and happiest" after 12 years of living in rented accommodations.

She now welcomes the holiday in her new home, measuring over 50 square metres, complete with a living room, bedroom, and kitchen.

"For me, having a home like this is already a great blessing; I couldn’t ask for more," she told Bình Dương Newspaper.

Similarly, the family of Phạm Thị Xiêm, another NCC, in An Thuận Hamlet in Phú An Commune in Bến Cát City, is also overjoyed after receiving a gratitude house from local authorities.

"My mother is over 90 now, and her health is frail. Since learning that the local authorities would build a house for us, she has been overjoyed. During the construction, she would often sit and watch the workers, asking when the house would be finished and smiling—it was truly touching. Now, as we prepare for the New Year, with flowers planted in front of the house, her happiness has only grown. Our family feels deeply grateful for the care and support from the local authorities—it’s more than enough," Phạm Văn Hai, Xiêm’s eldest son, told Bình Dương Newspaper.

For 62-year-old Nguyễn Thị Út in Phú Thọ Ward in Thủ Dầu Một City, the celebration on July 27, 2024, was unforgettable as she moved into her long-dreamed-of new home.

Út recalled how eight years ago, her husband passed away from a severe illness, leaving her to bear the family burden alone. She never imagined having a proper home in her twilight years due to her children’s financial struggles. However, the joy of receiving a new house from local authorities was overwhelming.

"The local government has supported us not only with this house but also with gifts and health insurance—it’s truly wonderful. A few months ago, I had a severe accident, and without health insurance, I might not have survived. Since moving into this house, I feel at ease, free from the burdens that once weighed on me. This year will be even more joyful as we celebrate Tết in our new home," she said.

Relevant authorities and businesses visit the mothers of martyrs, Heroic Vietnamese Mothers, and families of people with meritorious services during holidays and festivals. Photo baobinhduong.vn

Housing and livelihood support for people with meritorious service

According to DOLISA, Bình Dương currently recognises over 64,000 individuals eligible for preferential policies for NCC to the revolution.

Monthly allowances are provided to over 7,000 beneficiaries, amounting to more than VNĐ12.5 billion (US$492,700).

In addition to fully implementing policies for NCC, the department collaborates with agencies, organisations, and businesses to care for heroic Vietnamese mothers, war invalids, and martyrs.

Annual activities such as tours, retreats, and programmes to showcase gratitudes to them are regularly organised.

Among these efforts, housing construction for NCC has received significant attention from authorities, organisations, and businesses to ensure stable living conditions and help families improve their lives.

In the past five years (2019–2023), DOLISA coordinated with localities and businesses to build or renovate 314 gratitude houses for NCC, with a total budget of over VNĐ20.23 billion.

This includes 98 newly built houses costing VNĐ10.55 billion and 216 repaired houses costing over VND9.68 billion.

In 2024 alone, 45 gratitude houses were built or repaired for NCC families at a total cost of VNĐ2.72 billion, including eight new houses costing VNĐ900 million, and 37 renovations costing VNĐ1.82 billion.

These activities aim to improve the welfare of NCC families and ensure effective implementation of social policies. VNS