Grasping women’s circumstances and aspirations

Vu Thi Thu (born in 1987) in Doan Ket 1 village, Nha Nam commune involves in making bamboo products every day. Her husband died of illness a few years ago, and Thu now raises small children alone.

Women’s union members in Nha Nam commune were given vegetable slicers serving livestock breeding.

In early 2019, in response to the movement "Giving means of livelihood to help poor members overcome difficulties" launched by the Tan Yen district Women's Union, the Women's Union of Nha Nam commune and its chapter in Doan Ket 1 village came to her house to study Thu's aspirations.

Then the communal Women's Union launched a movement in which each member supports 1,000 to 5,000 VND or scraps to raise funds.

From that source, the communal Women's Union spent 2.3 million VND buying a bamboo splitting machine for Thu's family. With the machine, labor productivity doubles and Thu's income is more stable. Her two children do not worry about quitting school halfway.

Not only Thu, since the beginning of this year, the Women's Union of Nha Nam commune has raised funds to provide the family of Nguyen Thi Huong, a member in Phuc Thanh village, with a sugarcane juice machine; and Le Thi Trinh in the same village with a vegetable slicer serving livestock breeding.

Previously, from 2018, the Women's Union of Nha Nam township proactively proposed the local Party Committee and authorities methods to help poor women by giving means of livelihood instead of providing loans as many years ago. This is also the unit pioneering in this movement in the district.

Mai Thi Hoa, Chairwoman of the township Women's Union, said: “Every woman who wants to escape poverty sustainably needs a job and a means to earn a living.

Therefore, we set up a survey team to go to the house of each member with difficulties to grasp thoughts and aspirations, and find out which jobs their health is suitable for, thus introducing, giving orientations or helping them. Since 2018, nine disadvantaged members have been given means of livelihood.

Diversifying forms of support

In order to create jobs and support women in building a prosperous family, the Tan Yen district Women's Union has developed a plan to direct the grassroots-level chapters to actively implement the movement "Giving means of livelihood to help women escape poverty" .

The Women's Union of Nha Nam township present the bicycle to the poor member.

Since the beginning of this year, 15 grassroots-level unions in the district have given means of livelihood worth 83.4 million VND (3,580 USD) in total to 17 poor members, including sewing machines, bamboo splitting machines, sugarcane juice machines, bicycles, orchards, tables and chairs, contributing to creating jobs for women.

Typically, the Women's Union of Cao Thuong commune with the model of "savings from scrap collection" presented to Hoang Thi Ha of Tan Tien village a sewing machine worth 5.2 million VND; the Women's Unions of Cao Xa and Dai Hoa communes gave sewing machines, each worth 4.8 million VND, to disabled members in Trung Luong and Che villages; the Women's Union of Lien Chung commune donated 100 pomelo trees to the family of Nguyen Thi Thuong in Hau village; and the Women's Unions of Lien Son and Viet Lap communes presented bicycles...

Not only presenting means for labor and production, the Women's Unions of all levels in the district have actively implemented the project "Supporting women in starting a business" with the forms of training and transferring scientific and technological knowledge, vocational training, interest-free loan support, and establishment of collective economic models.

The district Women's Union has collaborated with the district Center for Vocational Education and Continuing Education to organize seven vocational training classes for 300 women’s union members; pay attention to reviewing and grasping the situation and aspirations of members who have registered; and help 24 members start businesses.

The Women's Union of Tan Yen district is the first unit in the province to establish a group of housemaids in Que Nham commune (25 members). This model provides regular jobs for eight women with a monthly income of 4-5 million VND per person. 

Currently the model is available in 15 communes with different forms. In addition, the Women's Unions of Phuc Hoa and Lan Gioi communes established and launched “the women’s groups cooperate in producing safe guava and vegetables", generating jobs for 30 local members.

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Tuyet Mai