In order to join hands to build a new exemplary countryside and create a rural landscape, veteran members in Phuong Duong village, Tu Dan commune, Khoai Chau district have spent their efforts and money to plant a row of trees for their village.
 

Row of longan trees of veteran members in Phuong Duong village, Tu Dan commune, Khoai Chau district

 
Go to Tu Dan commune through the vast banana fields, turn down the road of Phuong Duong village, you will meet a row of longan trees. Thanks to the care of veterans, with the age of 20 years, the longan trees here are still verdant, bringing beauty and shade to the village. The story about the longan trees row of veterans in the commune began in 2001. Realizing that the road was more than 1km long in Phuong Duong village, there were no trees, people walked in the sun without a place to rest, the children went to school in the hot summer, but completely overgrown with weeds... members of the village Veteran’s Union branch discussed and agreed to plant trees to cover and beautify the road. At that time, the members chose longan trees, a specialty tree of their homeland, with both green leaves all year round and fruits of economic value to plant.

After reaching agreement, members of the veteran’s union branch in Phuong Duong village voluntarily contributed VND 5,000/member to buy more than 100 longan trees to plant on both sides of the road. After planting, the members together take care and protect. Over time, more than 100 longan trees have now become 20-year-old longan trees. The growers are also at “life rarely live to seventy” age, some have passed away, but the longan trees are still green, shady the whole road, sheltering from rain and sun for people in the village and also bringing ripe longan seasons. 

 In addition to creating shade and landscape of the village, longan trees row also create funds for the veteran’s union branch to maintain their activities. With the consent of the Commune People's Committee, the longan trees row was assigned to member Nguyen Huu Boi’s to take care of, protect, and harvest with a term of 10 years, worth VND 200 million. Mr. Boi said: “My family's economic development is mainly in the local agricultural sector. With the support from the branch, I received a contract to take care of and exploit trees to increase my family's income. Currently, on average, each year, my family earns 7-10 tons of fruit, making a profit of about VND 30 million/year. 

With the income of VND 200 million from the longan, Veteran’s Union Branch in Phuong Dong village uses it to carry out many meaningful activities. In which, from 2010 to now, the branch has deducted more than VND 100 million to build social welfare works in the village and VND 100 million to lend members for family economic development. 

The longan trees row of Veteran’s Union Branch in Phuong Dong village is still a precious gift, loved and preserved by local people. Longan trees also inspire associations and mass organizations in the commune to actively plant trees, plant flowers, and create new style rural landscapes. Currently, 100% of villages in the commune have self-managed flower and green roads. Thanks to taking care of flowers and planting trees, the awareness of environmental protection of the people in the commune has increased markedly, there is no longer the situation of indiscriminately throwing household waste on the street, the green space is more and more open, the village is clean, beautiful and civilized. 

By Phuong Thao