Women’s association in Hamlet 4, Gia Canh commune: the elderly live well

* Cultural activities for the elderly

Head of Hamlet 4 women’s association Truong Thi Mai said that at the beginning she just gathered 9 members. These female members are quite advanced in years and used to participate in revolutionary movements. The hamlet women’s association is a place that all members meet and share life experience with each other. The main activities include carrying out propaganda on and education about the sense of respect for and gratitude to the elderly, and building up a happy family. The association attracted few members due to the fact that the elderly do not feel like going to crowded places. With the motto of setting a good example for others to follow, the association initially brought into full play the role of the elderly. Gradually, the effective activities have so far attracted more participants with 25 elderly people.

Regular meeting of the women’s association

Tran Thi Hang, a 75-year-old member, happily said that she and her children moved from the Northern region to settle down here. At first, she felt sad because she did not get used to a new strange place. Then she was introduced to participate in the women’s association by a neighbor. She felt as if she was living in her hometown because she had has many elderly friends to share happiness and difficulties as well as learnt how to educate young generations from other members. She herself no longer felt sad or lonely in new place but has a healthy, cheerful and useful life so that her children could keep their mind on their work. Her three children are now mature and have stable jobs.

Nguyen Thi Hue, a 70-year-old member, stated that the first reason for her participation was just for fun and to set good examples for her children and grandchildren. For her, it is also the way she has contributed to building a strong hamlet, strengthening solidarity among neighbors and supporting each other. In her opinion, activities of the hamlet women’s association would help members thoroughly understand the policies and guidelines of the State and Government so as to both educate young generations to observe law and help neighbors if necessary. Her six children have enough conditions to go to school and have stable jobs. The participation in cultural activities has helped her improve her spiritual life.

·        Promoting the role of the elderly people association

In addition, the association has mobilized its members to actively attend cultural activities and raise fund of its own. It annually offers many scholarships worth VND200,000 each to the poor but excellent students in the hamlet. Moreover, the association also encouraged young people to perform their military service duty, organizing full-moon festivals for poor children in the hamlet, and providing loans to poor members to develop family economy, etc.

Mr Nguyen Van Sau, Hamlet 4’s Cell Secretary, said that during the past years, the hamlet women’s association and elderly people association have always pioneered in the campaign on building cultural life in the hamlet. The association often organizes activities to popularize the Party and State's guideline and policies, participating in social activities, and encouraging children to study and live well. 4 members of the association are the Party members. So this made great contribution to conciliating conflicts and disputes among family members, and mobilizing local residents to build roads in the hamlet, etc. The association also tried to achieve the “Cultured hamlet” title for the hamlet with 98% of cultured families.

Chairwoman of Gia Canh commune women’s association Mai Thi Diep considered that the achievements made by Gia Canh commune women’s association were thanks to the activities of Hamlet 4 women’s association. During the past 5 years, all members of Hamlet 4 women’s association has had a lot of creative ideas for such activities and movements as disseminating the law and policies on domestic violence prevention and control, supporting poor members and their children, and setting good examples for young generations to show their gratitude to, respect and look after the elderly people, etc. Thanks to these results, the commune women’s association has received certificates of merit in many consecutive years. The Head of Hamlet 4 women’s association Truong Thi Mai was also awarded by Vietnam Women’s Union and local women’s associations.

Reported by Do Quyen, Translated by Minh Minh