We visited Triel village, home to 90 Jrai households of Cambodian origin. The village has solid houses and lush farms, but the journey to get there was difficult.

Ksor Biu, the village head, welcomed us and shared the story of Cambodians who escaped genocide. He is a second-generation Cambodian living in Vietnam.

Biu's father said that in 1975, many families fled their homeland to survive Pol Pot's massacres.

People took few belongings and trekked through forests and streams to find safety. Adults carried children and ran as far as they could.

The journey was marked by hunger and danger. Some people collapsed, and others were separated from their families.

Local authorities received the refugees and settled them in Triel village. Life was difficult, but with support, they cleared forests, cultivated fields, and grew crops.

Biu's family was encouraged to return to Cambodia, but he declined. He was born and raised in Vietnam, and his father rests there.

Building wealth on new land

Ro Cham Nek rose from poverty and now owns properties. He and his wife worked many jobs but struggled to eat.

Nek worked as a rubber worker and took on extra shifts to increase income. He worked from 9pm to 11pm, sometimes all night.

Nek's life was hard, and he nearly lost his daughter while tapping rubber. He always carried his children on his back after that.

Thanks to diligence, Nek built a solid house in 2012. He owns coffee land, rice, cashew trees, and cattle, with an annual income of 250 million VND.

Nek invested in a tractor and trailer to transport farm produce. He provides plowing and transport services for hire.

Ro Mah Thuy started with empty hands and worked as a rubber worker. He developed his family economy and cleared wasteland to plant cashews.

Thuy planted 7 hectares of cashews, 1 hectare of rubber, and 0.5 sao of rice. He raised cattle and earned about 70 million VND annually.

Thuy switched to coffee in 2019, and his family income now reaches 300 million VND per year.

Cambodians in the Gia Lai border region have built stable and prosperous lives with support from the Vietnamese Party and State.

Nguyen Hue said that with support, local residents have improved their livelihoods. They reclaimed land, shifted crops, and applied technology to increase income.

Many households have become well-off and contribute to local socio-economic development while maintaining security and order.

Tran Hoan