Labor Export Contributes to Transforming the Face of Many Rural Areas in Tuyen Quang

 Many poor rural areas in Tuyen Quang are gradually changing, with new, sturdy houses being built thanks to remittances from laborers working abroad. In fact, labor export in this mountainous province has proven to be a highly effective development strategy.

In 2011, Mrs. Lê Thị Chanh from Tan Bien 1 village borrowed 50 million VND from the Agricultural and Rural Development Bank in Yen Son (Tuyen Quang) and used her family's savings to send her eldest son to work in Taiwan (China). At the time, it was a bold decision, but it ultimately brought significant changes to the family.

"Our family had three children, and we were one of the poor households in the village, lacking farming land, so life was difficult, and we always worried about food. My children were aware of the situation, so after they finished high school, I took a risk and sent one of them abroad to see if things would improve. Fortunately, my eldest son found steady work in Taiwan, sent money back to pay off debts, and the two younger children also followed him to work there."

Today, her eldest son has been working abroad for 11 years, her youngest son for 8 years, and her daughter-in-law for 4 years. On average, the family sends back 500–600 million VND each year. No longer in debt, Mrs. Chanh has invested the money sent by her children into beekeeping, earning hundreds of millions of VND annually. The newly completed house of her eldest son and his wife is worth over 1.5 billion VND.

Tan Bien 1 village, once known as one of the poorest villages in Tien Bo commune (Yen Son, Tuyen Quang), has changed remarkably over the years. Nowadays, it is called the "Taiwan village." Of the 168 households in the village, 30 have members working abroad, and the influx of foreign remittances has breathed new life into the once poor rural area.

Mr. Trần Văn Sự, Deputy Chairman of Tien Bo Commune People's Committee, shared that the labor export movement in the commune began around 2010. Initially, only a few households participated, but when people saw some families earning money, building houses, and buying valuable assets, more and more joined. Today, more than 50 people from the commune work abroad, mainly in countries like Malaysia, Taiwan (China), Dubai, Japan, South Korea, and Russia.

About 90 km away, in Minh Phu 1 village, Yen Phu commune (Ham Yen), the family of Mr. Nguyễn Văn Thế Anh has enjoyed a better life thanks to the savings accumulated during his time working in Japan. For Mr. Thế Anh, without labor export, it would have taken many more years to achieve his current success.

"In 2015, I borrowed money to go to Japan as a mechanic. After deducting expenses, I was able to save nearly 30 million VND each month. After three years, when my contract ended, I used part of the savings to rebuild my house and invested over 700 million VND to set up a tea processing factory and grow cinnamon. Today, I earn a stable income of 200 million VND per year and provide jobs for four others. Without labor export, it would have been difficult to accumulate such a large capital," shared Mr. Thế Anh.

Speaking with reporters, Mrs. Lý Thị Hải Hiền, Head of the Labor Department (Department of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs of Tuyen Quang), mentioned that the number of people going abroad for work has continuously increased in recent years. In 2023 alone, Tuyen Quang sent 1,061 workers abroad under contracts, surpassing the target by 17% and increasing by 4% compared to 2022.

"Labor export has created stable employment and increased income for many workers. Thanks to the remittances, many families have escaped poverty, built solid homes, and improved their quality of life. Moreover, most of the workers who return from abroad bring with them good skills and capital, allowing them to start businesses and continue creating stable incomes," Mrs. Hiền reported.

Summary:
Labor export has significantly contributed to the economic transformation of many rural areas in Tuyen Quang. Thanks to remittances sent back from workers abroad, families have been able to improve their living standards, build new homes, and even start new businesses. In 2023, over 1,000 workers from Tuyen Quang went abroad under labor contracts, continuing the trend of Vietnam Manpower driving local economic growth. Many returnees use their foreign-earned capital and skills to become entrepreneurs, creating stable incomes and providing jobs for others in their communities.