In the midst of Hanoi's nearly 40 degree Celsius weather, when the sweltering heat from the concrete and asphalt blocks seemed to want to burn everything, we went to Ms. Mui's Golden Ant Farm (Dong Binh, Hung Tien, My Duc, Hanoi). Surprisingly, the space here was much cooler and more airy than the bustling center of the capital.
A fresh green color covered everywhere, dotted with pure white jasmine flowers, blooming portulaca bushes, or pots of lush green vegetables. The fresh air, with the faint scent of moist soil and grass, made us feel strangely peaceful, as if lost in a completely different world , separate from the noise and dust of the city.
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The owner of this “green” space is Ms. Le Thi Mui, a slim, agile woman, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm and her smile always present. Looking at her quickly taking care of the garden, few people would think that she used to be a civil servant with a stable job for 20 years. Now, she chooses to stick with the land, with things that many people consider “waste” to write her own story.
The fateful turn
Ten years ago, Ms. Mui’s life was turned upside down when two close friends passed away from cancer within a week. That pain was like a wake-up call, urging her to ask questions about her health, her living environment, and the quality of her daily food.
Ms. Mui shared: "At that time, I was really depressed. At that moment, I realized that health is more precious than anything. I don't want to continue living in a cycle full of chemicals, pressure and pollution."
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She decided to quit her civil servant job, rented a piece of wasteland in My Duc and started her journey of "loving trash". From there, Golden Ant Farm was born, the brainchild that she and her colleagues care for and cherish day and night.
At first, many people were hesitant, even considering what she did "crazy". But then, not only did the land become fertile, flowers bloom, and vegetables grow greener, but Ms. Mui herself also clearly felt positive changes in her health, with rosy skin and a clear mind. Those obvious results are the most convincing proof of the green lifestyle she pursues.
She directly tested composting methods to find the most effective waste treatment model. Photo: Thanh Thao |
Here, she directly tested and persisted with the organic waste treatment model to produce clean fertilizer. Every day, she diligently collected each bag of garbage, selected, classified, dried, and composted it. From leftover meat, wilted vegetables, crab shells, fish sauce, and everything that people throw away, she considered a valuable resource.
With self-taught knowledge from foreign books and documents and through her own experience, she gradually perfected the composting method suitable for Vietnam's climate. "Every day, I look at the health benefits to try, because no one can give you health. Only those who have experienced sitting and breathing in the sun can understand what I am trying for," she confided.
Spread green lifestyle
Instead of trying to convince each person, Ms. Mui changed her approach. She set up a social media sharing page, made videos , livestreamed instructions, and wrote articles sharing her experience in composting. "I no longer try to prove anything. I share what I can do. Whoever finds it suitable will come to me," she said.
The videos and articles she posts are all of interest and enthusiastically responded to by everyone. This method has brought unexpected results. More and more people from all over, from provinces and cities to the overseas Vietnamese community, come to her to learn how to turn trash into flowers.
Ms. Mui founded the Facebook group "Love trash - Turn trash into flowers" in 2021, and the group has now attracted nearly 17,000 members. With a simple and clean spirit, she guides people on how to compost organic waste with microorganisms and molasses. After 2-3 days of composting, the trash water can be used to water plants, providing all the necessary nutrients for plants.
Depending on each individual, the structure of the house or apartment, she will advise and guide the group members in detail. Many members successfully compost and grow lush plants, they share pictures and processes with each other, both to show off the results and to motivate each other to continue to maintain a green lifestyle.
"Turning trash into flowers is not a slogan, but for me it is a journey of life - to live cleanly, live healthily, live greenly," Ms. Mui confided.
Silent efforts
At first, she encountered many failures, the compost smelled, and the plants died because of incorrect mixing ratios. Even when expanding the Golden Ant Farm, she faced distrust from workers and conflicting opinions from her family. "My family saw that I was too passionate about unrealistic things, so my relatives and I could not find a common voice. During that time, my family did not support me. That was truly the most difficult time for me," she confided.
But she did not give up. After sleepless nights, she still firmly believed in the path she had chosen. She started over herself, verified each process, and finally, Golden Ant Farm successfully applied microorganisms to the entire operation, completely without using chemicals or pesticides.
Ms. Mui shared: "When I started, people thought I was very strange, especially when I quit my stable job to focus on consulting on waste treatment. But I think I am also a successful person because I spread the spirit of green living." She is not only the creator of clean fertilizer, but also successful in changing community awareness.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Ly, a collaborator of Kien Vang Farm, shared: “In the past, I was also aware of classifying waste at the source so that collectors could easily handle it. But only when I set foot on the farm and worked with Ms. Mui did I appreciate organic waste more. Here, people do not waste a single vegetable or a bit of leftover food, but everything is carefully composted and becomes fertilizer for plants.”
It is this organic waste that has grown lush green vegetable beds, roses and many types of fruit trees on the farm. Ms. Ly is just one of many examples of the values that Ms. Mui and the community have been spreading.
“Waste is a valuable resource”
Looking at the images of members of the community "Love trash - Turn trash into flowers to share", from small gardens on apartment rooftops to schools and farms, awareness of waste classification and recycling is gradually forming, creating a strong wave of green living.
Looking to the future, Ms. Mui is still full of enthusiasm and hope. She hopes that authorities at all levels will accompany, support and propagate waste treatment models at the source. "To change people's habits, there must be appropriate solutions and sanctions. When they see the benefits, see the effectiveness and have simple and suitable methods, their habits will change," she emphasized.
Ms. Mui always keeps in mind one thing, which is also the guiding principle for her entire journey: "If waste is treated properly, it will become a priceless resource. If you cannot compost waste to grow flowers, then start by treating waste at the source."
THANH THAO - PHAM LANH
Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/phong-su-dieu-tra/cuoc-thi-nhung-tam-guong-binh-di-ma-cao-quy-lan-thu-16/chi-mui-yeu-rac-dam-me-bien-rac-thanh-hoa-833183
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