Chieng Khoong commune now has 424 poor households, accounting for 9.25%, a decrease of 0.57 percentage points compared to 2024. The number of near-poor households stands at 1,083, or over 23%, down 0.92 percentage points, according to a 2025 review.

Two roads in Pu Hao and Na Khi hamlets of Muong Lan commune, with a total length of over 1.3 km, have been paved with concrete.

Chieng Hac commune is managing, caring for, and protecting 23,991 hectares of forest, including 19,138 hectares of protection and special-use forests, 3,732 hectares of production forests, with the remaining area designated for other forest purposes. The forest coverage rate has reached 54.63%.

The Son La provincial Department of Education and Training, in collaboration with The Vietnam Foundation (VNF), on December 24 organised a training session on using the Khan Academy Vietnam (KAV) open school model on the Khan Academy online education platform for general education and continuing education institutions. The programme was connected online to 381 educational institutions throughout the province.

Nong Thon Ngay Nay (Countryside Today) Newspaper, DVL Ventures – Ha Vy and Friends jointly organised the “Muong E Highland Charity Market” programme in Muong E commune on December 23. Attending the event were leaders of Muong E commune, representatives of local schools, and a large number of local residents.

The Standing Committee of the provincial Youth Union, in coordination with Kim Bon commune, on December 18 held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Suoi Pa campus of Anh Sao Kindergarten. This project aims to celebrate the 14th Congress of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union of Son La province for the 2025-2030 term.

Accounting for nearly 16% of the province’s population, the Mong ethnic people in Son La consist of three main groups Flower Mong (Mong Lenh), White Mong (Mong Do), and Black Mong (Mong Du). Together, they have created a rich and distinctive cultural heritage imbued with strong ethnic identity, reflected in their costumes, language, festivals, and traditional crafts. In highland villages, these traditional cultural values are personally preserved and passed down from generation to generation by cultural torchbearers within the community.

In response to the requirement for fundamental and comprehensive renovation of education and training, the provincial education sector, together with local authorities, has prioritised budget allocations and mobilised various resources to build and upgrade schools. These efforts have gradually created more spacious and modern learning environments that meet the demands of educational reform.

For students in urban areas, learning English is no longer unfamiliar. However, in remote and mountainous regions, particularly among ethnic minority communities, access to foreign languages, especially for preschool children, remains a major challenge. To address this gap, the education sector has rolled out the “Solution to manage and improve the quality of organising English familiarisation activities in preschools.” After more than a year of implementation, the initiative has begun to yield positive changes, offering children in mountainous areas an opportunity to early engage with a foreign language.

After five years of implementing Subproject 3 on supporting sustainable employment, under Project 4 of the National Target Programme on Sustainable Poverty Reduction for the 2021-2025 period, Son La province has supported 132 workers in finding jobs at domestic companies and enterprises. This has contributed to creating sustainable livelihoods and improving incomes for people in many disadvantaged areas.

The provincial Department of Health and the provincial General Hospital, in coordination with the Cardiovascular Centre of Hanoi-based E Hospital and Vietnam Children’s Fund Social Enterprise (VCF SE), on December 13 organised a programme providing free cardiovascular disease screening and consultation for local children under 18 years old.

The provincial Red Cross Society, in cooperation with the Hai Phong city Red Cross Society and the provincial Hospital of Traditional Medicine, on December 12 organised a programme to provide medical examinations, health consultations, and free medicine to 250 residents in Muoi Noi commune.

The Youth Division of the provincial Department of Public Security, in coordination with Chieng Hoa commune, on December 11 held an inauguration ceremony for a model classroom building at the Tao Van Moi satellite campus of Chieng Cong Ethnic Semi-Boarding Primary School.

With the motto “Where there are women, there are women’s movements,” in recent years, the Women’s Union of Chieng Hoa commune has implemented various emulation movements and campaigns in diverse and practical forms. These activities have attracted women from highland and remote hamlets to join the organisation, contributing to building a strong and effective local Women’s Union.

Son La Hydropower Company, Son La Power Company and the Son La Power Services Enterprise, in coordination with the provincial Steering Committee for Voluntary Blood Donation and Son La General Hospital, on December 12 held a voluntary blood donation drive in response to the Vietnam Electricity (EVN)’s 11th blood donation campaign.