Young girl helps many workers escape poverty by collecting coconut nectar

Young girl

THERE ARE MANY JOB OPPORTUNITIES IN BIG CITIES, BUT THACH THI CHAL THI (BORN IN 1989, IN CAY HE HAMP, PHU CAN COMMUNE, TIEU CAN DISTRICT, TRA VINH) DECIDED TO RETURN TO HER HOMETOWN TO START A BUSINESS. A SMALL ENTERPRISE NAMED SOKFARM HAS HELPED MANY WORKERS IN HER HOMETOWN ESCAPE POVERTY AND HAVE A STABLE INCOME. WITH HER CONTRIBUTIONS TO HER HOMELAND, THACH THI CHAL THI RECEIVED MANY NOBLE AWARDS, INCLUDING THE HONORABLE AWARD AT THE "GLORY OF VIETNAM" PROGRAM IN 2022.

Hello Ms. Thach Thi Chal Thi, you studied for a master's degree in Ho Chi Minh City. So why did you decide to return to your hometown to start a business from scratch when you had many opportunities in the city?

- Actually, I graduated with a Master's degree in Food Technology from Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology. After graduating, I also worked for a corporation in product research and development. Until 2018, no one bought coconuts in Tra Vinh , they sprouted. At that time, I only thought of helping my parents, but the more I researched coconut honey, I realized that if I succeeded, the livelihood of farmers in my hometown would definitely improve a lot. From then on, I was determined to succeed with this coconut honey collection job.

Before that, I was also inspired by the book "Tony in the Morning" which encourages young people to return to their hometown to start a business. At that time, I also thought that one day I would return to my hometown but I didn't think I would return so soon.

When you decided to return to your hometown to start a business, did many people support you?

- The coconut nectar industry is a very new industry, if my parents were not open-minded, they would definitely not let me do it. However, when my father heard me share about my research on the coconut nectar industry, he was very supportive and that was one of the factors that helped me get started.

Up until now, people have only harvested coconut fruit, not coconut honey, so at first people were very unfamiliar with it, still doubtful, and gossiped a lot, but I always kept the idea that I must succeed to help my parents and my hometown.

Young girl Thach Thi Chal Thi is determined to start a business from collecting coconut nectar. Photo: Provided by the character.

How do you change the thinking of your hometown people about this industry?

- They are simple farmers who have not traveled to many places to learn about the coconut nectar industry, so it is natural to think like that. At that time, I thought that as long as I was successful and created value for my companions, I would be able to convince other farmers.

Currently, 200 farming households have registered to cooperate with the enterprise and this number is expected to increase. My goal is to cooperate with 1,000 farming households by 2030 and create jobs for 200-300 local villagers. I set a development goal because I want to cooperate with as many farming households as possible.

Starting a business is never easy, especially with a new industry like coconut nectar collection. Can you share with us the difficulties when you first started?

- In the early days when people did not know much about coconut nectar, I built a whole factory but only sold 1-2 small jars a day for 65,000 VND. I almost lost money in the first year, both in sales and business operations. At that time, to run a business, it took 80 million, while the revenue at that time was only 20 million/month. But I still believed that I would succeed.

Honestly, I never thought of giving up, nor did I think I would fail. I always thought I was on the right track, it was just that my product was not really known to many people. So I always persevered, participating in every fair or startup competition, not missing any opportunity to spread coconut nectar to consumers.

What motivates you to be so determined?

- I just think about how to connect with more farmers to help my hometown. People who grow rice cannot survive because the price of fertilizer is high, not enough to cover their living expenses. But with just 7 coconut trees, people can earn 2 to 3 million a month. Some people are very happy because they have escaped poverty through this job.

They say climbing coconut trees every day is happiness, that also makes me very happy. My products also help many people improve their health. From that, I have more motivation to try to develop the product.

Coconut nectar collection helps workers have a stable income. Photo: Sokfarm.

Is there any family that collects coconut nectar and their life has improved a lot?

- The families I help are mostly poor. Like Uncle Ray, 52 years old, he used to work as a porter but he is old and no longer healthy, so he works at Sokfarm. He said that climbing coconut trees makes him happy because he has money to take care of his family and cover living expenses.

Then there is Ms. Lap, one of the first people to join Sokfarm. Before, she worked as a seamstress, she only dared to take a one-hour lunch break and then go back to work to have enough products for the day. At that time, she was under a lot of pressure, until she worked at Sokfarm, she felt comfortable and had enough money to take care of her family. Or Mr. Phuc, who makes coconut nectar to support his whole family because his family is poor, his parents are old but he has no land. I am very happy to help workers have jobs that generate a stable income. That is also what I aimed for when I decided to return to my hometown to start a business.

Have you brought coconut nectar products to the world yet?

- Currently, we have 5 pure products from coconut nectar, 2 of which are exported internationally: 1 product of concentrated coconut nectar exported officially to Japan; 1 product of coconut nectar exported to the Netherlands. This October, we will launch the 6th product, we will promote distribution in supermarkets, our target market is the US.

Coconut nectar is not a new product in the world. What difficulties do you encounter when exporting?

- Countries like Thailand and the Philippines have been producing coconut nectar for a long time because it is their traditional profession, but I am still confident that my products can be exported abroad and compete with them because whatever technology the world uses, we also use that advanced technology.

I am confident in the price and quality of the products I create. I myself am also a food expert so I am also promoting product research and development. The Philippines only exports processed products, while Vietnam's coconut nectar exports finished products with its own brand so it is highly appreciated in the international market.

Modern coconut nectar production line. Photo: Sokfarm.

As a creator of international export products, what is your opinion about Vietnamese products competing in the international market?

- When we export products to foreign markets, there will certainly be fiercer competition in terms of price and quality. And we have to research whether the product is suitable for customers in which price segment, for example, suitable for pharmacies, supermarkets or just used as normal food.

I think that for any export product, the quality must meet standards. For example, when exporting coconut nectar to Japan, each time it enters the port, they will check different indicators. I am very confident that the quality of my products is always consistent, so I am still trusted by my partners.

Many people think that Ms. Chal Thi is an example for young women starting a business. Do you feel happy about that?

- Honestly, at first I just thought I needed to do something to help my family and my hometown, and luckily now I have a lot of support. I hope that young people, if they see that their hometown is in trouble and needs help from young people, will come back to help their hometown develop. Everything comes from the heart of each person.

Thanks for the chat!