Starting Point
Mrs. Nguyen Thi Cuong is known as the “king of reconciliation” or the “multi-talented village chief” by the people of Duy Tan commune, Duy Xuyen, and Quang Nam, three villages in Phu Nhuan.
She was a local guerrilla cadre, but after the country’s reunification, she continued to participate in social work in her hometown. She has a long history of involvement in social work, with over 15 years of experience as the Head of Phu Nhuan three villages. In carrying out her responsibilities, she does not let her disability and limited health become hurdles in serving her community.
Peace Journey
Currently, Ms. Cuong holds six positions, including the Deputy Secretary of the Party Cell, the Head of the Village Committee, the Head of the Encouragement of Learning Association, the Deputy Head of the Veterans Association, the Head of the Mediation Team, the Village Health Care Worker and the Population Collaborator.
Her daily routine involves leaving home early in the morning and returning late at night. After dinner, she sits at the table to do social work and only rests when it is very late. Her bicycle is her constant companion on all the village roads, and sometimes her work is so prolonged that she returns home after lunchtime. She took great pride in the work of the village and the commune, and she is thankful for the support of my husband and children as well as the trust of the people, which enabled her to complete her responsibilities.
Over the years, she has successfully mediated more than five conflicts, including land disputes, economic disputes, and family disputes, with the assistance of village and hamlet officials. One of the cases she and her team successfully mediated was the land dispute between Mr. Nguyen Van C. and Mr. Nguyen Van N.
Based on her experience, she shared that to mediate successfully, members of the mediation team must meet all the necessary criteria, such as acknowledging culturally diverse backgrounds, exhibiting exemplary behaviour, maintaining unity, possessing knowledge, having practical communication skills, demonstrating a sense of discipline, and, most importantly, having a genuine heart. Among them, there must be representation of all groups, including elderly people, farmers, the youth Union, women, the front, and war veterans.
Success stories
After each mediation, whether successful or not, the grassroots team must meet to evaluate the experience, learn from it, identify remaining issues, and suggest new contributions for future mediations. They should utilise the attention and support of the government, the superior front, the Party cell, the Head of the Front Work Committee, other organisations, clans, fellow brothers, and others to achieve success in their mediation efforts.
Since implementing this mechanism, there have been no minor matters exaggerated or petitions exceeding acceptable levels in the village in recent years.