Electricians of Son La city’s Hydropower Company fix the electric system in a local house. (Photo: VOV)

Lo Thi Chanh's family in It Ong town is in extremely difficult circumstances. Chanh has to take care of her 90-year-old mother and her seriously ill husband on her own. In her simple stilt house, there is only an old TV and a few light bulbs. The electric outlets and power lines are unsafe, resulting in frequent short circuits.

Chanh told VOV, “We’re very glad that electricians have helped us fix the lines, change the junction box, and install new bulbs. From now on, our power system will be safer. We try to use electricity economically and efficiently.”

The small house of veteran Lu Van Ha in Chieng Xom commune has also gotten new light bulbs.

Mr. and Mrs. Ha are old and find it difficult to repair their home’s electrical system themselves.

Ha told us, while reaching to turn on his new lights, “We’re very poor, so I’d like to thank the power company for giving us some light.”

New bulbs are installed to light up households with particularly difficult circumstances in Sơn La. (Photo: VOV)

Like the families of Chanh and Ha, 60 other households in Son La province have received Tet gifts from the Son La electricity industry. Workers inspected the electricity system of each house to determine which ones were eligible for support.

“The beneficiaries are disadvantaged households in which electrical appliances are a hazard. We help them repair faulty devices and give them new light bulbs,” said Tien Viet, an electrician in Son La city. 

Le Thi Song Hao, Deputy Director of the Son La Hydropower Company, said many other activities have been implemented to support customers during the run-up to the Lunar New Year, in addition to repairing and replacing power lines for disadvantaged households.

“This month we’ve organized programs to light up rural areas, run power lines to hamlets, especially in resettlement areas, and repair or install new electrical systems in hospitals and medical facilities in COVID-affected areas. These programs have helped people overcome pandemic difficulties before the Lunar New Year,” said Hao.

Doing electrical repairs for poor households is part of a program called "Light up your faith - for your trust", launched by the Youth Union of Son La Hydropower Company to thank customers. Repairs are done on weekends and, so far,  more than 300 poor or policy beneficiary households have received the free service.