| Rural Life
AN ADVENTURE THROUGH
RURAL LIFE.
In Vietnam three quarters of its land
is used for farming and about 80% of Vietnamese people live in the rural
areas. Two thirds of the workforce work in agriculture. Conditions in rural areas are tough and farmers need to work long
hours, and the children must work after or before school to earn money for
the family. At harvest time the children must help at home and not go to
school.
| Houses
in the rural areas of the South where it is warm are built of wood, and in the North where
it is colder, they are built out of stone. Houses in the country side are built of
wood with palm leaves or straw on the roof, a dirt floor and often have no electricity or running
water. Villagers collect water from the local well or river, and it is boiled to kill the
germs. |
 |
|
Each house usually has two rooms, a small garden where crops are grown for the family to
eat and sell, a few chickens, a pig or two as well as a water buffalo or oxen which is
kept in an area beside the house. Every village
has a market where people can buy rice, vegetables, fruit and seafood. |
The tall single fronted houses common
in big cities are now being built in the rural areas. Some farmers are
selling their land to developers, they build a new house and then work for
the land owners.
|
Very few people in
Vietnam own a vehicle, but in 2008 more vans and trucks are seen in
these areas. Many families ride a
motorbike or travel by bicycle. In rural areas many people walk long distances, or use
oxen carts to travel. After the war finished
in 1975 the government had a policy of 'Doi Moi' (new thinking). They wanted people |
| to grow crops
so gave them an area of land to farm, but the land still belongs to the government. |
| The children that live in rural areas go to school
from 7:30am to 11:30am or in the afternoon they start at 1:00pm and go to 5.00pm. In
primary school they learn how to read, write and do maths. In High School they learn about
history, mathematics ,biology, science and chemistry. Not all children in rural areas go to school because they are needed to help
their family on the farm. Along the roads
children are seen riding or leading oxen carts to the fields and back home again. |
The schools are
basic with children sitting together at long desks. Often there is no
electricity in the classrooms, only a blackboard and shutters on the
windows.
|
| In Cuc Phuong National park
teachers from the Education Unit visit schools. These children are part
of the Conservation Club, and the lessons are held after school. The
Conservation Club teaches students to care for the local environment.
Electricity is only connected to the staff room so the teachers have to
take a power lead, TV and video to the school on their motor bikes. |
 |
 |
Some fields have tombs in them, as the Vietnamese
people believe their ancestors will look after the farms and produce good crops.
Scarecrows called 'hinh nom' which means false person, are in some fields. There is one
scarecrow for rice fields and another for the fruit and vegetables gardens. |
By Evdokia and Raquel
|