At that time, when Vietnam hadn’t had any specific methodology for happiness measurement, Yen Bai province flexibly applied indexes of New Economics Foundation, a UK-based non-governmental organisation researching economic, social, and environmental issues, to initially form criteria for its happiness index.

This indicated that with the launch of the index, under the provincial Party Committee’s leadership, the provincial administration and its advisory body put the people above all, and the launch also reflected Yen Bai’s international integration vision.

After more than two years of efforts by the entire political system and each resident, the happiness index of Yen Bai people has reached Level 2 - "relatively happy”, demonstrating the province’s policy of staying steadfast in the orientation of green, harmonious, identity-imbued, and happy development.

Residents in Yen Bai city has actively engaged in exchanging recycled waste for plants.

That could be clearly seen in what have been recorded in localities across Yen Bai since the 19th provincial Party Congress. Locals have received assistance from the State to overcome difficulties amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Enterprises, agencies, sectors, and organisations have also joined hands to provide high-quality plant varieties and animal breeds, give instructions in farming techniques to poor households, help them with building new houses, and encourage the poor’s determination to escape from poverty.

Thanks to those efforts, the household poverty rate in Yen Bai fell 5.05% in 2022, over 1% higher than the target. With fast and sustainable poverty alleviation and people’s improved material and spiritual lives, the local happiness index reached 62.57%, 1.37% higher than the target. That also helped the province record growth of 8.62% in gross regional domestic product (GRDP) last year, compared to the target of 7.5%.

Yen Bai has not pursued growth at the expense of the environment. Local authorities are promoting tree planting and afforestation on a large scale. Many areas have been upgraded and added with greenery to become eco-tourism sites. Different forms of waste collection, sorting, and treatment have been carried out across the province, and despite certain difficulties, the work has become a task receiving the most attention in the building of new-style countryside as well as bright, green, clean, and beautiful urban areas.

Not only urban areas but the countryside has also gained a facelift thanks to upgraded roads and new buildings seen besides cinnamon, orange, pomelo, and tea hills. People, from the elderly to the young and from families to villages, have enjoyed a better life and are now living in harmony.

Besides, digital transformation efforts have also helped facilitate locals’ connectivity with state agencies and make online services useful for each family.

In Yen Bai nowadays, people can see such banners as "Peaceful hamlet” or "Happy town” at the entrances of many residential areas. While the education sector has promoted the "Happy family”, "Happy school”, and "Happy class” models, the health sector has boosted an emulation movement called "Committed doctors, happy patients”. A number of other models and movements attached with the word "happy” have also been being carried out.

Given this, it is believed that Yen Bai people’s happiness index target of 63.3% for this year is completely achievable.