STARTING A BUSINESS FROM "3 NOs"
In 2003, Lu Thi Tuyen (born in 1983) entered married life with almost nothing in terms of finances . The only capital the young couple had at that time was 3-4 million dong in wedding gifts. "We started our business with only three 'no's," she confided. According to Tuyen, these three 'no's' included: not much land, and not business experience. But they refused to give up, with an iron will to escape poverty.
Faced with fragmented farming practices that barely provided enough to eat, Ms. Tuyen decided to try her hand at entrepreneurship. With limited capital, she invested in what her homeland readily offered: ginger. She bought about 300-400 kilograms of ginger, beginning her first agricultural product trading venture. The following months were a series of tireless days of work. From growing vegetables and raising nearly a hundred pigs to buying a dump truck to transport construction materials, she and her husband did anything that could generate income.
Ms. Lu Thi Tuyen (far left) and other delegates were met by leaders of the Party, State, and Vietnam Fatherland Front on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day, September 2nd.
PHOTO: CONTRIBUTOR
The turning point came in 2019, when she participated in and won a startup competition for women organized by the former Ha Giang province. This was not only recognition for her tireless efforts but also motivation for her to believe in a bigger path. Even during the Covid-19 pandemic, her foresight helped her shift to growing fresh mushrooms, supplying over 1 ton to the market, demonstrating her ability to adapt flexibly in the face of adversity.
Ms. Lu Thi Tuyen (far left) purchases agricultural products from farmers.
PHOTO: CONTRIBUTOR
"MIDWIFE" AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS HELP PEOPLE INCREASE THEIR INCOME
Understanding the difficulties faced by her fellow villagers—lack of capital, technical expertise, and especially uncertain markets—Ms. Tuyen developed a closed-loop production model, a true revolution in Quan Ba. She established Thien Phu SH Co., Ltd., not only for business purposes but also to act as a "facilitator" for local agricultural products.
Thien Phu SH's business model operates on absolute trust and risk sharing. It's a comprehensive investment: the company provides all input materials to farmers, from seeds and fertilizers to necessary items like nets and trellises. "Farmers only contribute labor and land," Ms. Tuyen shared. In addition, she and her team directly guide farmers on cultivation techniques, planting times, and care methods to achieve the highest yields. Importantly, the company guarantees the purchase of 100% of the produce. This is the key to its difference. Farmers no longer have to worry about sales. All quality products are purchased by the company with transparent pricing and daily updates.
Ms. Lu Thi Tuyen participated in a meeting with leaders of the Party, State, and Vietnam Fatherland Front.
PHOTO: CONTRIBUTOR
Starting with just a few households, the model quickly spread. To date, Ms. Tuyen's company has partnered with approximately 10 production groups, each comprising around 40 households, forming a network of nearly 400 farmers who work together and share the benefits. Group leaders not only coordinate production but also receive 500 VND per kilogram of purchased produce, providing an additional stable source of income.
The introduction of the Thien Phu SH model has transformed the economic landscape of many families in Quan Ba and surrounding areas. From earning just tens of millions of dong per year, many households now earn hundreds of millions of dong.
Ms. Lu Thi Tuyen started her business with Thien Phu SH One-Member Limited Liability Company.
PHOTO: CONTRIBUTOR
A prime example is the Ha Giang cucumber, which, under her management, has become a highly valued specialty. "Traders also confirm that Ha Giang cucumbers are the most valuable," she said. At peak times, a kilogram of cucumber sold at the farm can fetch up to 14,000 VND, a dream price for highland agricultural products. Not only cucumbers, her company also buys and distributes other produce such as tomatoes, pumpkins, red peanuts, soybeans, sweet corn, and ginger. Every day, three trucks from the company travel in different directions, purchasing tens of tons of agricultural products, then transporting them to major wholesale markets in Hanoi to supply processing and export companies.
Currently, Thien Phu SH Company has become a large and strong enterprise, with annual revenue reaching tens of billions of VND. The model has linked production, creating jobs for approximately 1,200 members per year; supporting the consumption of 950-1,000 tons of agricultural products per year, supplying over 1,000 tons of fertilizer and pesticides worth 1 billion VND per year.
HEARTS ARE ALWAYS ORIENTED TOWARDS THE COMMUNITY
What makes Ms. Lu Thi Tuyen's business model different and sustainable lies not only in her smart business strategy, but also in her compassionate heart that always focuses on the community. She deeply understands that, for farmers in Ha Giang, the greatest difficulty is not the hard work itself, but the harshness and unpredictability of natural disasters.
Therefore, she developed a humane risk support policy, acting as a solid "shield" to protect farmers. When a household in the network is unfortunately devastated by natural disasters, the company's support process is activated immediately. All input costs that the company provided at the beginning of the season, including seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides, are covered. "For those whose homes were completely destroyed by flash floods, the company will provide support, so they don't have to pay anymore, allowing them to try harder," she shared. This helps families avoid the burden of debt, giving them the courage and resources to recover and resume production for the next season.
Each year, approximately 5-10 families receive this special support. Ms. Tuyen's work is a valuable source of morale, igniting faith and solidarity. It transforms the relationship between businesses and farmers into a strong symbiotic alliance, where risks are shared and successes are multiplied, building a resilient and robust agricultural community amidst the myriad difficulties of the rocky plateau. Her company also provides free fertilizer to schools to encourage tree planting. "I hope that people will learn to diversify their crops and develop together," is her simple wish, hoping to sow seeds of prosperity and hope across the rocky plateau of Ha Giang.
For her significant contributions to the community, in 2019, Ms. Lu Thi Tuyen was awarded a certificate of merit by the Chairman of the People's Committee of the former Ha Giang province for her contributions to the economic development and entrepreneurship movement. In 2025, Ms. Tuyen will have the honor of being one of the outstanding delegates representing all strata of the people nationwide, participating in a meeting of Party, State, and Vietnam Fatherland Front leaders on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day on September 2nd.
Ms. Then Thi Nghiep (45 years old, Nung ethnic group), leader of the "Thang Village Melon Group," one of 40 farmer groups organized by Ms. Tuyen, highly appreciates Ms. Tuyen's assistance in supporting farmers to develop their economy and escape poverty. According to Ms. Nghiep, Ms. Tuyen has been instrumental in introducing new, high-yield crop varieties to the locality and providing agricultural supplies such as fertilizers and pesticides in advance, helping farmers to improve their production conditions, thereby increasing productivity and income. Ms. Nghiep shared that before meeting Ms. Tuyen, her family mainly raised livestock and grew traditional crops such as rice and corn. After Ms. Tuyen's support in switching to growing higher-value crops, her family's economic situation has improved significantly. Ms. Nghiep has been cooperating with Ms. Tuyen on this model for 3 years and affirms that it is a very effective method.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/chung-dong-mau-lac-hong-nguoi-phu-nu-giup-dan-lam-giau-tren-cao-nguyen-da-185251101221115795.htm
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