The inspirational story of Muong woman Ha Thi Hong Hai "daring to change to rise up"

Once having a difficult life, Ms. Hai, a Muong ethnic, has gradually risen out of poverty.

From a woman living in a remote area, Ms. Ha Thi Hong Hai (born in 1980), living in Van Mieu commune, Thanh Son district, Phu Tho province, has gradually escaped poverty, stabilized her life and spread the spirit of striving to many other women.

With support from the Thanh Son District Women's Union, Ms. Hai not only created an effective economic model for herself but also contributed to changing the thinking and working style of women in the highlands.

Van Mieu is a commune in region 1, located more than 18km from the center of Thanh Son district. The terrain is mainly mountainous, and people's lives are still difficult. Ethnic minorities make up the majority. In that context, economic development, especially for women, is inherently a challenging journey.

The turning point came when the Women's Union of the commune introduced her to participate in a training course on science and technology transfer.

Ms. Hai was born and raised in a particularly difficult residential area of the commune. Her family's life was poor for many years, relying on only a few fields and small-scale livestock raising. "Back then, I only knew how to grow whatever I could to eat, hanging around the commune market all year round, walking more than a kilometer to buy a bundle of salt or a kilo of sugar," she said.

However, the turning point came when the Commune Women's Union introduced her to attend a training course on technology transfer. At first, she just thought of going for fun, but the more she learned, the more enlightened she became. From those classes, she began to learn about social networks, how to use smartphones, online sales skills, how to take product photos, and even learned how to livestream.

She does not keep what she learns to herself but always shares her knowledge with many women in the neighborhood and in the community.

Ms. Hai started her journey of selling online from the agricultural products her family made: clean vegetables, wild bamboo shoots, hill chickens, honey... From the time she had no customers, she started to have accumulated income.

Not stopping there, she also learned skills in packaging, preserving goods, and building a personal brand. Thanks to the support from the Association at all levels, she has gradually perfected her family business model. Her family has not only escaped poverty but also gradually become stable, raising children to study, taking care of their health, and improving their quality of life.

In particular, she did not keep what she learned to herself. With the enthusiasm of an experienced person, she shared her knowledge with many women in the neighborhood and commune.

"Some people have never taken product photos before, some are afraid of standing in front of the livestream camera, but I encourage them: Just do it, you will get used to it. If you don't say it well, then say it honestly. The important thing is to believe in the product you make," she said.

All of Ms. Hai's products are meticulously made by her.

Thanks to Ms. Hai’s model, many women in the commune have boldly followed suit. Some have started selling clean vegetables and fruits in their gardens, some have sold hill chickens and stream fish, some have embroidered handkerchiefs, knitted, and even made rustic cakes to deliver to their homes.

The entrepreneurial spirit spreads naturally and positively in the community. The Women's Union of Van Mieu commune commented: "Ms. Hai is one of the typical women who has promoted her inner strength, changed her mindset, applied technology to develop the economy and spread that spirit to others."

"I dream of a day when products made by Muong women will be beautifully packaged, put on e-commerce platforms and go further. Each product is a story, an effort. And we deserve to be recognized," she said.

In Phu Tho, in recent years, the Women's Union at all levels has had many good solutions and new approaches to achieve the national goal of gender equality and solve urgent problems for women and children. In particular, the National Target Program for Socio-Economic Development in Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas has created a legal corridor, resources and opportunities for ethnic minority women like Ms. Hai to rise up.

Ms. Hai’s story has contributed to changing social awareness about the role of highland women in economic development. It proves that: With the right support and access to information, women anywhere can shine.

The support and solidarity of the female members has helped business people like Ms. Hai have many opportunities to escape poverty.

Ms. Hai hopes that in the future, there will be more specialized classes on digital technology, product packaging design, connecting with e-commerce platforms and especially building a group of women entrepreneurs. "I dream of a day when products made by Muong women will be beautifully packaged, put on e-commerce platforms and go further. Each product is a story, an effort. And we deserve to be recognized," she said.

From a woman who had never heard of the internet, Ms. Ha Thi Hong Hai has now become a model of innovation, perseverance, determination and ambition. Her journey is not only a story of escaping poverty, but also a living testament to the value of timely and appropriate companionship, and the extraordinary power of women who dare to change, dare to think, and dare to do.

In 2025, Ms. Hai is one of the typical advanced examples in the 2020-2025 period of the Women's Union of Phu Tho province.

Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/cau-chuyen-truyen-cam-hung-cua-nguoi-phu-nu-muong-dam-thay-doi-de-vuon-len-20250509095710426.htm