After three decades of change, the Chut people of Rao Tre are looking beyond direct assistance toward skills, jobs and livelihoods that can deliver lasting self-reliance.
Editor’s note: Deep in the mountains of western Ha Tinh, the Chut community in Rao Tre village once lived in isolation and extreme hardship. Practices such as giving birth beside streams, consanguineous marriage and outdated farming methods persisted for generations, creating major barriers to the community’s development.
Over the past three decades, as the community settled into a more permanent way of life, Party and State policies for ethnic minority groups have gradually taken root. The sustained support of Border Guard officers, local authorities, teachers and grassroots officials, combined with the Chut people’s own determination to build a better future, has brought visible change to Rao Tre.
VietNamNet presents the series “The Chut people: From the shadow of old customs toward a new way of life,” documenting a community’s transformation in awareness, education and livelihoods, as well as its growing aspirations for a better future.
After more than three decades of permanent settlement, the Chut people in Ha Tinh have seen clear improvements in living conditions, education, healthcare and livelihoods.
Speaking with VietNamNet, Nguyen Van Tuan, Deputy Head of the Economic and Budget Committee of the Ha Tinh Provincial People’s Council, said the changes within the Chut community in Ha Tinh, particularly among residents of Rao Tre village, were significant.
The transformation, he said, can be seen not only in better homes and infrastructure, but more importantly in changing mindsets, lifestyles and approaches to development opportunities.
Once a relatively isolated community heavily dependent on the natural environment and constrained by customs that affected everyday life, the Chut people are now gradually becoming the agents of their own transformation.
Nguyen Van Tuan, Deputy Head of the Economic and Budget Committee of the Ha Tinh Provincial People’s Council. Photo courtesy of the interviewee
These changes clearly stem from more than the efforts of grassroots officials alone. How do you assess the role of Party and State policies, particularly National Target Program 1719?
Nguyen Van Tuan: The changes we see in the Chut community today are the result of many factors working together.
Personnel working directly within the community, including Border Guard officers, have played an important role in communication, outreach and building trust with local people. But for those changes to rest on a lasting foundation, the Party and State’s broader system of policies and programs has been indispensable.
The National Target Program for Socio-Economic Development in Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas, approved under Decision 1719/QD-TTg, has provided an important source of support.
Rows of permanent homes and investment in essential infrastructure have transformed Rao Tre village.
The program goes beyond investment in essential infrastructure. It also addresses education, livelihoods, poverty reduction, living conditions and cultural preservation.
For the Chut community, the key is to ensure that policies and resources are implemented in ways that reflect local realities and the community’s particular circumstances.
The ultimate objective should not simply be to provide assistance at different stages, but to gradually strengthen people’s capabilities so they can take greater control over the development of their own lives.
Despite the progress, the Chut people still face a number of particular challenges. What issues need to be addressed next?
Border Guard officers provide agarwood seedlings and technical guidance to help local residents grow and care for the trees.
We need to take an objective view. Alongside the achievements, there are still aspects of everyday life that require sustained attention.
Because the population is small and the community began from a low development base, some residents still have limited access to education, market information and development opportunities.
Some young people have left the village for work, but most are employed in relatively low-skilled jobs. Local livelihood opportunities are not yet sufficiently diverse, while the application of science and technology in production remains limited.
The quality of education, primary healthcare, population development and cultural preservation are also issues requiring long-term attention.
The important direction for the coming period, therefore, is to gradually turn support resources into drivers of development, helping people acquire vocational skills, build sustainable livelihoods and become more self-reliant, while reducing dependence on external assistance.
Beyond nationwide policies, what specific measures should Ha Tinh consider to create a sustainable development foundation for the Chut community?
Border Guard officers and teachers stationed in Rao Tre have accompanied the community in changing mindsets and leaving outdated practices behind.
For a community with distinctive characteristics such as the Chut, I believe future measures need to be grounded in local realities and focus on areas capable of delivering lasting change.
The first priority is investing in the younger generation, with particular emphasis on education, vocational training and connecting young people with jobs that match labor market demand. This is essential if Chut people are to build better lives through their own capabilities.
Second, livelihoods need to be diversified by identifying production models suited to local natural conditions and people’s capacities.
There is also potential to explore community-based and experiential tourism in Rao Tre, linked to the preservation and presentation of traditional culture. If developed appropriately, this could create additional livelihoods while helping protect the community’s cultural identity.
Third, efforts should continue to improve healthcare, education and cultural life, with particular attention paid to population quality and the preservation of valuable traditions.
Another avenue worth considering is creating opportunities for young Chut people to serve in the armed forces.
Such an environment can help young people develop discipline, practical skills and a stronger sense of responsibility. After completing their service, they can return home as a positive force in their communities, contributing to local development while helping maintain security and public order in border areas.
Most importantly, the philosophy of assistance needs to gradually shift from direct support toward creating opportunities - transforming external resources into the community’s own capacity for development.
A young Chut person who has vocational skills, a stable job and the ability to make independent decisions about their future is, ultimately, one of the most meaningful measures of whether ethnic minority policies are working.
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