VietNamNet Bridge – A series of support policies for needy people are ineffective because many poor families are lazy and rely on the state’s assistance.

Students of Muong Ly Secondary School in their tent.

Muong Ly Commune in Muong Lat District of Thanh Hoa Provinces is more than 200 km from Thanh Hoa City. This poor mountainous commune does not have real roads. To learn how to read or write, students have to live in tents built on the mountain side, far from their home. Although students enjoy many support policies of the state, they still lack food.

Immediately after class, Vang A Phu, an 8th grader of the Muong Ly Secondary School, ran hurriedly back to his tent. Tossing a few books on hands to the floor, Phu opened a pot to take several pieces of rice crusts left from the last dinner and put them into the mouth. "I’m out of rice so I have to eat rice crusts for lunch. This afternoon I will enter the forests to seek vegetables," Phu said.

We were taking to Phu when Vang Thi Ly, a 7th grader, entered the tent with a bunch of wild vegetables on her hands. Ly’s clothes were faded and her sandals were torn.

Like Phu and Ly, nearly 100 students of the Muong Ly always Secondary School always lacked rice and clothes. But Vang A Du, a 6th grader, whose family is considered needy had a cell phone.

The meal of Mrs. Mang Thi Muop and her children in Dong Xuan district, Phu Yen province has only rice and vegetables but her husband is drunk all the time.

"My dad and my mum have a few cell phones at home. While they were in the field, I take one here to listen to music,” Du said.

Mr. Nguyen Van Ha, Vice Principal of Muong Ly Secondary School, said to create conditions for upland children to go to school, the Government grants each student with VND70,000 ($3.5) per month and food allowances that is equivalent to 40 percent of minimum salary. On average, each student receives VND420,000 ($20) per month or VND3.78 million (nearly $200) per school year.

"In the academy year 2011-2012, the school paid more than VND1 billion of allowances to students, in two phases. Receiving the cash, parents did not invest it in their children’s studies but to buy motorbikes, cell phones or TV sets,” teacher Ha said.

Mr. Dinh Cong Dai, Chairman of Muong Ly Commune, said: "Our commune has nearly 70 percent of households are considered poor. Many households in the upland village of Xi Lo do not have enough food but each school year, tens of families in Xi Lo buy motorcycles, TV sets and mobile phones. Some extremely poor households are provided with VND180,000 per month but they use the money to purchase wine."

Besides Muong La, all students of the poor districts of Thanh Hoa such as Quan Hoa, Quan Son, Lang Chanh, Bá Thuoc, Thuong Xuan, Nhu Xuan ... are granted with the above allowances.

Earning allowances, still “working” as beggars

In Soi Nga village, Xuan Lanh commune, Dong Xuan district of Phu Yen province, from the early morning, tens of people flock to bus stations to go to Quy Nhon City of Bình Dinh province and Tuy Hoa city of Phu Yen province to work as beggars.

After sowing two hectares of cassava Mr. Doan Van Tien, 45, the father of three children at the working age, stays at home waiting for his youngest son named Doan Van Trieu to bring money that he begs from others home.

"Everybody here does like me. More than half of the villagers work as beggars. Government allowances? It is not enough to buy alcohol!" Tien said impassively.

Mr. Phan Nhu Hai, Deputy Director of the Department of Labour - War Invalids and Social Affairs of Bình Dinh province, said he was “afraid” of families in Xuan Lanh commune.

"We have tried all measures to change their thinking and to prevent them from working as beggars but they still see beggary as a job," Hai said.

Poor because of being too lazy!

State allowances is enough for Mr. Le Van Men, in Duy Vinh commune, Duy Xuyen District, Quang Nam Province, to buy rice.

Hai also said that Bình Dinh province has 46,000 poor households, accounting for more than 11 percent. The three districts of Van Canh, Vinh Thanh and An Lao have high ratios of poor households with over 45 percent.

Although they have been supported by the state for years, many households could not escape from poverty because they are too lazy. In Van Canh district, people don’t work as beggars but they don’t do anything just drinking all day.

It is similar in Tay Giang – one of the poorest districts in the central province of Quang Nam. In 2012, this district had 1,211 poor households, accounting for 58.25 percent.

In this district, many people rely on the state support and don’t want to do anything. Mr. A Lang Thanh, Vice Chairman of Bhalle Commune, Tay Giang District, took us to the home of Mr. ALC. - a poor household with seven members living in a small house.

ALC’s wife was the main laborer in the family. She had to work to feed five children and her husband. "Whenever we received the money for poor households, he took it to purchase wine. He drinks alcohol everyday but it is lucky that he does not beat me and the kids,” she said.

According to Mr. A Lang Thanh, Mr. ALC’s family has been a poor household for seven years. "We cannot help his family to escape from poverty. It all depends on themselves," he said.

The ratio of poor households in the central province of Phu Yen is nearly 16 percent. Mr. Tran Thanh Bình, Head of the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs said the local authorities have a headache in recovering soft loans for poor households from ... 18 years ago. The total debts is over VND1 billion but the poor households do not pay.

NLD