Putting people first: Making happiness Hanoi’s measure of success

THE HANOI TIMES — Below, grassroots leaders and representatives of mass organizations in Hanoi share their perspectives on building a humane, livable capital where happiness is measurable and widely shared.

Nguyen Chi Vien, Party Secretary and Chairman of the People’s Council of Ung Thien Commune: Substantive action, putting people at the center

People’s happiness is not an abstract concept, nor can it stop at formalistic slogans. It must be measured by quality of life, by the level of satisfaction and by the trust people place in grassroots authorities. For Party committees and commune-level governments, where the level closest to the people, acting for the people’s happiness must begin with concrete, practical and sustained actions.

We have identified that people must truly be placed at the center of all local policy decisions and management activities. All socio-economic development plans must stem from real needs, stabilize livelihoods and improve living conditions. Supporting production, creating jobs and connecting residents with markets for their products are important foundations for building a prosperous and sustainable life.

At the same time, Ung Thien Commune focuses on accelerating administrative reform and improving the quality of public service. Cadres and civil servants must shift from a “management” mindset to a “service” mindset, from “completing tasks” to “satisfying the people.”

Ensuring social welfare and guaranteeing that no one is left behind is also a core task. We pay close attention to fully and promptly implementing policies for people with meritorious service, disadvantaged households and vulnerable groups and to investing in education, healthcare, the environment and public security, thereby contributing to a safe, humane and sustainable living environment.

When people are placed at the center and actions are substantive, Party committees and authorities at all levels will operate more effectively and improve the people’s quality of life.

Phan Tien Binh, Chairman of the Hanoi Association for the Support of People with Disabilities and Orphans:

No one left behind on the development journey

I understand that the “happiness index” for people with disabilities carries a very concrete meaning. It is the feeling of not being abandoned.

In reality, there are policy gaps that, if applied rigidly, can unintentionally deprive many of opportunities. For example, some children have effectively lost their support (a father deceased, a mother missing), yet because official records still show the mother as alive, they are not classified by commune or ward authorities as eligible for orphan allowances.

To build genuine happiness, our association chooses a flexible approach, verifying cases based on actual circumstances. As long as children are truly in hardship and lacking care and affection, we are ready to extend support without allowing administrative procedures to become barriers.

People’s happiness also comes from the kindness and responsibility embodied in each gift delivered. We maintain the principle of handing over cash or in-kind support directly to beneficiaries, in the presence of donors, and even photographing recipients in wheelchairs for reporting purposes. For decades, this approach has ensured impressive effectiveness in Hanoi, with tens of thousands of wheelchairs delivered to those who genuinely need them.

A happy society is one in which the most vulnerable have the means to integrate. A properly fitted wheelchair or a timely scholarship can change a person’s life. We are happy to see international organizations highly appreciate Vietnam’s transparency and even happier to witness the whole community joining hands to ensure no one is left behind on the nation’s development journey.

Nguyen Huu Cuong, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee and Chairman of the Farmers’ Association of Hoai Duc Commune: Joining hands to build a civilized, modern and happy Capital

The 14th National Party Congress not only reviewed a historic journey but also marked the beginning of a new one, a path leading Vietnam firmly into a new era of national advancement. The spirit of the Congress clearly stated: “Maximize human resources, placing people at the center, as the subject, the primary resource and the ultimate goal of development.”

Embracing that spirit, I believe that Hanoi, as the heart of the nation, must pioneer and lead in translating the resolutions into reality. For us cadres and Party members, the success of the 14th Congress is not merely about figures and reports, but about steadfast faith in the path of renewal and the motivation for each individual to reflect, improve and elevate themselves in line with the Capital’s stature in the new period.

Facing the new opportunities opened by the 14th Congress, I am fully aware of both the heavy responsibility and the great honor entrusted to me. I am determined to uphold a spirit of exemplary conduct and the “seven dares”: daring to think, daring to speak, daring to act, daring to take responsibility, daring to innovate, daring to confront difficulties and challenges and daring to act for the common good.

We are committed to devoting our utmost efforts, uniting as one and turning the resolutions of the 14th Congress into concrete works, civilized streets and happy neighborhoods in Hoai Duc Commune in particular and across Hanoi in general.

We are determined to build a “Cultured – Civilized – Modern – Happy” Hanoi in the spirit of the 14th Congress, transforming the capital into a city of a bright future and a symbol of Vietnam rising in a new era.