Raising children to college and university thanks to the herd of horses

Along the winding mountain road going into Huu Kien commune, Chi Lang district, it is not difficult to see people tending horses. In the past, in this particularly difficult economic zone 3 commune, people all year round clinging to the mountains, forests, and shifting cultivation. They grow rice, maize, potatoes, cassava and some trees for timber, so their income is barely enough for their expenses.

“Usually here, people don’t raise their children to go to university or college. After finishing secondary school or high school, they will have to leave school to stay at home to work in the fields, get married or work as hired laborers,” said 55-year-old Nong Quoc Mao. .

But with Mr. Mao’s family, when his 5 children reached school age, he and his wife Nguyen Thi Lanh (now 57 years old) saw that each of them was eager to learn, so they tried to “tighten their belts and tighten their belts”, increase production to earn money. investment for children.

Mao’s family has been raising horses for a long time, starting with only 2-3 horses to carry corn and cassava. The mountain road in the rainy season is slippery and muddy if you walk, you will not be able to bear it. Horses therefore become the means of transport, raising for pulling power is the main thing.

Later, when the white horse was discovered with higher economic value, Mr. Mao carried out breeding. At first, he boldly borrowed a bank loan to build 20 stables (worth 120 million VND). He raised a combination of breeding to increase the number of horses. Currently, his family owns a herd of horses that fluctuates around 20, the largest scale in the commune.

Since raising horses, his family earns more than 200 million VND per year. Thanks to that, all 5 children can pursue their education. Currently, Nong Thi Giang (born in 1990) graduated from Thai Nguyen Medical College, Nong Thi Thai Anh (born in 1993) graduated from Lang Son Pedagogical College, Nong Thi Ngoc (born in 1996) graduated from Medical College Lang Son Pharmacy, Nong Thuy Hoang (born in 1998) studied at Thai Nguyen Medical University, Nong Thanh Tuan studied as a Reserve Officer in Hanoi.

Mr. Mao said that if only farming, a year’s maximum income of 20-30 million, the family is not enough to cover life. “But the horses ‘weigh’ everything, I don’t owe the bank a dime. Whenever there’s a problem, I sell a horse. I like to study, my parents have to create favorable conditions for investment,” said the Tay man. said in a cheerful voice.

Mao’s children graduated from school with stable jobs. Mao’s family was awarded the “Certificate of studious family” by the Study Promotion Association of Huu Kien Commune.

Not only Mr. Mao’s family, many other households in Huu Kien commune have money to invest in raising their children to eat and go to school by raising horses. Mr. Nguyen Van Thai, Tay ethnic group, a resident of Huu Kien commune, said that each year his family raises 6-7 horses, produces 2-3 horses, earns nearly 100 million VND. Mr. Thai’s two children are still young, the cost of studying each year is only about 2 million VND. Thai’s daughter, little Song Thu, said: “Every time my father sells a horse, I am not happy because I have to part with the horse, but my father buys me many books and school supplies.”

Nguyen Thi Thoi also no longer has to worry about saving money since raising horses. Her son has just died, his wife left home to work far away, leaving her daughter who is about to enter 1st grade for her grandmother to take care of. “The money every year from selling horses, I will use to feed her to study,” she confided.

Mr. Tran Quan – an expert from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Chi Lang district said that Chi Lang is a mountainous district in Lang Son province – the locality with the second largest number of white horses in the country. Chi Lang district has a total herd of 2,500 horses, Huu Kien commune alone has 2,100 horses. This is the capital of horse breeding with a long tradition, with nearly 1,300 white horses alone. Horses become a source of income for poverty alleviation, economic development – culture – education in Huu Kien commune.

Products of Huu Kien white horse are protected. Households raise an average of 3-7 children. The price of an adult white horse is 50-70 million VND/head, and a large white horse costs up to 100 million VND/head.

As a result, in addition to agricultural products such as transplanting rice, planting corn, raising horses, have brought high incomes, helping people improve their lives, build houses and have money to invest in their children’s higher education.

Chi Lang district, Lang Son province is the next destination in the School Light Program organized by the Hope Foundation – VnExpress newspaper implemented, with the desire to replace temporary and unsafe classrooms for teachers and students here. The contribution of readers will add motivation and create conditions for teachers and students to have better teaching and learning conditions. Readers can accompany the program here.

Le Thu