Ra Mai village, located in the Trong Hoa highland commune (Minh Hoa District, Quang Binh province), rests 170 kilometres from Dong Hoi City and is home to about 400 residents, most of whom belong to the Khua ethnic minority group.
Ra Mai people are still faced with many difficulties despite their lives being improved.
In 2006, State President Nguyen Minh Triet, then the Secretary of the HCM City Municipal Party Committee and some businesses from the city visited Ra Mai village and were very touched by local people and their difficult lives. Responding to Triet’s appeal, busineses raised support and helped Ra Mai people to build a standard ethnic village with a total number of funds near VND 3 billion ($160,000).
Ra Mai people are very thankful with the new houses, unpolluted water, school, health care centre, and house of culture.
However, it seems that difficulties never stop following the people here due to the chilly weather in winter and scorching sun in summer.
We visited Ra Mai with some friends of Quang Binh online forum on a chilly day in winter and we brought new clothes for the children.
Young children have limited or no access to clothing
Curious eyes looking at the stranger
A small boy sits alone waiting for his parents to return
A rare sunny day in Ra Mai
Ra Mai children are skinny from limited nutrition
Lighter hair from summer's scorching rays
This small boy is looking at new clothes
Curious about new gifts
Taking new gifts to a house
A house in Ra Mai village in the early morning
The lovely smile of children
