Dao Village cooperative - an economic support for ethnic minority women and women members

21/08/2020
In recent years, the Vietnam Women's Union’s activities to support the collective economy model run by women have dramatically contributed to creating stable jobs and generating income for rural women, especially for ethnic minority women. From fragmented and single production, after joining cooperatives, production and business efficiency and income of women members have been significantly improved.
Members of Dao Village cooperative

The Dao Village agricultural cooperative model becomes a typical example as a firm support for economic development of Dao ethnic women in Thong Nhat ward, Hoa Binh city, Hoa Binh province.

Since the beginning of establishment, the cooperative had only 20 members, with limited capital and facilities. After over 15 years of operation, the cooperative has composed of 86 members from Dao ethnic community, earning revenue reaches over VND 2 billion per year with diverse areas of production and services, such as seedlings, breeds, fertilizers, plant protection products, agricultural products processing, in which predominantly citronella. Realizing citronella remains potential for local economic development, the cooperative has been proactive in seeking partners, developing new production ideas, promoting its brand, and creating its foothold in the market.

 Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh (1st left photo) - Director of Dao Village cooperative and members

At the 2019 Women's Creative Start-up Contest, hosted by the Vietnam Women’s Union, the Dao Village cooperative, with idea of citronella oil extraction, was granted VND 153 million from the National Target Program for New Rural Development’s budget. The funding has been invested in oil extraction processing facility. Currently, the cooperative has created 86 fulltime jobs and 15 seasonal workers with stable income. The leaders and members of the cooperative had also received trainings, seedlings, product labels development, and lemongrass cultivation from the Central Vietnam Women's Union and Women's Union of Hoa Binh province.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh, Muong ethnic woman - Director of Dao Village cooperative shared: “Since the essential oil distillation line has been operated, the cooperative links with other partners to diversify its products by using lemongrass essential oil. The cooperative ensures consumption of all members’ products, helping to increase members and women’s income. This is also an opportunity to help raising awareness of Dao women and their products quality, creating jobs and contribute to the local economic development target program”.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh with products from citronella

Dao Village cooperative is a successful model in the development of collective economy  for women, contributing greatly to the local economic development. In addition to income generation and stable jobs creation for rural women and members, the model is also a sample of cooperative economy of solidarity and mutual support among Muong and Dao ethnic women groups in Thong Nhat ward.

 

Translated by VWU International Relations Department

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