Realizing the dream of housing for the poor

“Settling down and having a career” is always the dream of many people, especially poor and near-poor households, households in disaster areas, remote areas. But in reality, many people, especially poor and near-poor households, still have difficulties with housing. There are households that have to live in temporary houses, “slums”, which do not ensure daily living conditions, and pose a great risk to health. According to a recent review by the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, there are currently more than 153,000 temporary and dilapidated houses nationwide that need to be rebuilt or repaired. If households are supported with 50 million VND/household for new construction, and 25 million VND for households repairing houses, the whole country needs more than 6,500 billion VND.

Faced with that reality, over the past decades, with the determination of the entire political system, many policies on housing support, especially for poor households across the country, have been implemented. From the state budget, support from the community, businesses, organizations, and individuals, many newly built and repaired houses across the country have met the urgent housing needs of the people.

From 2000 to 2023, more than 1.7 million solidarity houses have been newly built and repaired for the poor and those in difficult circumstances. That has truly brought joy and peace of mind for people to strive to escape poverty and stabilize their lives.

Eliminating temporary and dilapidated houses is one of the major policies of the Party and State, a regular political task; the entire political system, from Party committees, authorities, Fatherland Fronts, to organizations, enterprises, and individuals, etc., has focused on implementing seriously, resolutely, and synchronously. Many practical actions with high determination have been carried out to help the poor live in safe and solid houses, thereby creating conditions to rise out of poverty.

This is also one of the large-scale social security programs with high humanity, demonstrating the superiority of the socialist regime, the spirit of mutual love, sharing and sympathy for the difficulties and deprivations of the people.

But "eliminating temporary and dilapidated houses" does not stop at "eliminating" but "completely eliminating temporary and dilapidated houses". That political determination is demonstrated in the fact that on November 24, 2023, the 13th Party Central Committee issued Resolution No. 42-NQ/TW on continuing to innovate and improve the quality of social policies, meeting the requirements of the cause of building and defending the Fatherland in the new period; in which the goal is set by 2030 to "completely eliminate temporary and dilapidated houses for poor households, near-poor households, and people affected by natural disasters and climate change".

On April 13, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Chairman of the Central Emulation and Reward Council, launched the emulation movement "The whole country joins hands to eliminate temporary and dilapidated houses nationwide from now until 2025". The Prime Minister requested all levels, sectors, localities, agencies, units, people and businesses nationwide to promote proactiveness, creativity and responsibility towards the social community, especially the poor; strive to complete the task of eliminating temporary and dilapidated houses in 2025.

Most recently, on October 1, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired a meeting of the Government Standing Committee with the Vietnam Fatherland Front, ministries and agencies on implementing support for eliminating temporary and dilapidated houses for poor and near-poor households. The Prime Minister requested to launch a 450-day and night peak emulation campaign, mobilizing the combined strength of the entire society to join hands to complete the elimination of temporary and dilapidated houses nationwide.

In particular, ministries, branches and localities must "have high determination, make great efforts, take drastic actions, and complete each task"; assign leaders in charge of "clearly identifying people, tasks and responsibilities"; organize and launch a broad and substantive movement; closely manage and receive support, reduce intermediaries; strengthen inspection, supervision, and fight against negativity and loss...; strive to eliminate temporary and dilapidated houses nationwide by December 31, 2025.

The strong determination to "resolve completely" and "strive to complete the task of eliminating temporary and dilapidated houses by 2025" is very much in line with the people's wishes and is supported by the people. However, in order to effectively implement this emulation movement, it is necessary to have stronger cooperation and participation from sectors, levels, localities, authorities, unions, organizations, individuals, especially the efforts of each citizen. Together, spread noble actions and gestures, contribute a little to make a lot, thereby supporting poor households to have stable and safe housing, not only helping households escape poverty, but also gradually improving their living standards, contributing to sustainable poverty reduction.