Diverse livelihoods help women escape poverty sustainably

In recent years, the women's campaign 'confident, self-respecting, loyal, capable and diligent' has spread strongly throughout Hưng Yên Province.

Particularly in rural areas, many women have boldly started businesses, established cooperatives and production facilities, creating jobs for hundreds of workers, mainly local women, contributing to new rural development and sustainable poverty reduction.

Like many women in Bình Nguyên Commune, Nguyễn Thị Doan engages in small-scale household bamboo and rattan weaving.

She travels all over the area to take orders then works at her home.

During peak times when she has a large amount of orders, she hires additional workers to meet delivery quotas.

Recognising the local strength in traditional crafts, in 2019, with support from the communal Women's Union, Doan established the Thanh Tân Bamboo and Rattan Weaving Cooperative to produce her own products independently and gradually build a ‘brand’.

Doan said that with the ageing population trend in rural areas, many women still had the capacity to work but were considered too old for factory jobs, forcing them into heavy field labour or migrating to other provinces and cities for work.

They face hardships, unstable income and family separation.

At the start, Doan had little cooperative management experience and resorted to figuring out operations and production plans through trial and error.

The biggest challenge was lack of investment capital, while needs for raw materials, production space and machinery were high.

The workforce was unstable, with many women unaccustomed to chain production discipline, making deadlines tough.

To meet labour needs, the cooperative partnered with the Women's Union to open hands-on vocational training classes.

As a result, more women come to learn skills. It has become not just an income source but a 'common home' where women share joys and sorrows, supporting each other in life.

Today, Doan's facility attracts hundreds of workers from inside and outside the commune.

Products are increasingly improved, diverse in types and designs, building customer trust. Currently, the cooperative she leads has orders booked until April next year.

At 74 years old, Phạm Thị Lan, lives in Nam Lâu Hamlet, regularly works at the Thanh Tan Bamboo and Rattan Weaving Cooperative.

Lan said that she is assigned light tasks suitable for her health. At this age, still working and earning VNĐ4-5 million (US$150-190) per month for living expenses makes her twilight years more meaningful.

Beyond traditional crafts, women in Bình Nguyên Commune boldly expand into new production areas.

For example, Nguyễn Thị Minh Hoa, owner of the Tư Hoa Production Facility in Nam Lâu Hamlet, invested nearly VNĐ1 billion ($37,900) to assemble children's toys.

Currently, it provides stable jobs for nearly 30 workers, with average incomes of VNĐ6-7 million ($230-260) per person, per month, enabling local women to have on-site work, extra income and family care without migrating.

Women’s development

Beyond their willpower and diligence, women in Hưng Yên receive active support from women's unions at all levels.

Connecting loans, vocational training and product markets has become the "key" for stable and expanding livelihood models.

This is crucial for middle-aged women to confidently join the local labour market.

Đặng Thị Thu, Chairwoman of the Bình Nguyên Commune Women's Union, notes that the union had run many activities to support members' economic growth, such as partnering with commercial banks and women's support funds for preferential loans.

Unions connect with cooperatives and facilities for training middle-aged and elderly women.

The commune has two women's group leaders distributing home-based work to 100-150 women, fostering sustainable livelihoods and community bonds.

According to Đinh Thị Hương, Standing Deputy Chairwoman of the Hưng Yên Women's Union, over one million members were active.

Under the 2017-2025 'Supporting Women in Start-ups' project, unions have held start-up training, annual 'Women's Creativity and Entrepreneurship Day', supported hundreds of ideas, established 14 women-led cooperatives and 82 groups and helped over 1,800 women succeed in business.

Annually, 1,200-1,500 female workers receive training.

Moving forward, it will maintain capital, transfer technology, train skills, and introduce jobs for sustainable poverty reduction.

From small start-ups to large cooperatives and facilities, Hưng Yên women affirm their key economic role.

Union support and members' determination create sustainable livelihood highlights, building prosperous, civilised new rural areas and inspiring more women to start businesses and contribute to the community.