After 3 years of implementation with more than 5,000 working days, over 100 works belonging to the "Light in the border areas" project with a total length of 100km, worth over 5 billion VND, have been completed, contributing to improving the quality of life of people across the Vietnam - Laos border line.

In order to facilitate local people to travel conveniently at night, in early 2019, the Party Committee and Border Guard Command of Quang Binh province directed the Ca Xeng Border Guard Station to coordinate with local authorities to pilot the construction of 2.5km electric lighting system worth more than 30 million VND in Mo O O O village in Thuong Hoa commune of Minh Hoa district.

This is the first village in Quang Binh to be lit by a solar lighting system. After seeing the practical effects that the pilot project brings, the Border Guard Command of Quang Binh province named the project "Light in the border areas" and expand the project to other localities.

To date, this model has been implemented in 94 villages, hamlets, and residential groups in 16 communes and wards in the border and coastal areas of Quang Binh province.

Doc May is the furthest village in Truong Son commune, Quang Ninh district, Quang Binh province. From the commune center, it takes 20km of forest road with many trails, streams, and rocky slopes to get to Doc May village.

"With the determination to bring Doc May closer to the lowlands, we and the villagers mobilized hundreds of days of work to transport 20 electric poles and light bulbs from Lang Mo border guard station to and install them at the village", Lieutenant Colonel Le Van Sy, Political Commissar of Lang Mo Border Guard Station, said.

The "Light in the border areas" project has helped improve people's lives, culture, and spirit, contributing to maintaining political security, order, social safety in the border areas of Quang Binh. Th

is is a typical model that demonstrates military-civilian solidarity, expressing the feelings and responsibilities of officers and soldiers of the Border Guard towards the people and ethnic minorities in the border areas.

Not only does it light up the border areas of of, the "Light in the border areas" project also reaches the difficult villages of Laos.

In July 2022, after working with leaders of Kham Muon province (Laos), more than 20 officers and soldiers of the Quang Binh Border Guard went to Na Chat village, Bua La Pha district to implement "Light in the border areas" project as a gift of the Border Guard of Quang Binh province to local people.

With the help of people in Na Chat village, officers and soldiers of the Quang Binh Border Guard completed the 1.5km long project with 48 electric poles and light bulbs ahead of schedule.

“From the day the street lights comes to our village, at night, the people of Na Chat village can gather to chat, and children can play together. Electricity illuminates throughout the night so security is more assured. Thank you very much to the Vietnam Border Guard!", said Ms. Nang Lo, a villager.

"This project has a very special meaning, because this is a task that we implemented and completed beyond space, time, and progress. The Border Guard of Quang Binh province is also the first unit to come up with the idea and implement it. Then, after Na Chat village, electric lights will be lit in many other villages, deeply showing the friendship and solidarity of the army and people on both sides of the border," said Colonel Trinh Thanh Binh, Commander of the Quang Binh Border Guard.

At the conference summarizing 3 years of implementing the "Light in the border areas" model organized by the Quang Binh Provincial Party Committee and the Command of the Border Guard of Quang Binh province, leaders of related agencies, localities and organizations highly appreciated the efficiency of this model. At the same time, they hoped to work with the Border Guard of Quang Binh to implement it in all 28 communes in the border area in the near future.

Not only is the light of ordinary electric lights, the "Light in the border areas" model also brings the light of the Party's policies, State policies and laws, and the light of progress and civilization to ethnic minorities.

Hai Sam