Accompanying women on the journey of economic development

Many handicraft products made from sedge at Ms. Cao Thi Dao's workshop are popular in the market.

The name Nga Son, before or after the merger, is not just a simple place name but a homeland of myths, legends and a famous sedge growing area throughout the province and beyond, which has been mentioned in the old song: "Nga Son mats, Bat Trang bricks/ Nam Dinh silk, Ha Dong silk". Over time, despite ups and downs and fluctuations, the sedge craft in this land still has a lot of potential, advantages and creates practical economic efficiency, contributing to job creation and increasing income for local people.

From the "cradle" of the traditional profession, Ms. Cao Thi Dao's family (30 years old) has a long history of working in sedge, but mainly in a fragmented, small-scale manner, lacking investment, so they cannot exploit and take full advantage of the potential and inherent advantages of the profession, and the income from the profession is not high. Since 2019, Ms. Dao has boldly approached the loan capital of Thanh Hoa Microfinance Organization to invest in machinery and equipment, diversify and improve product designs and quality, expand the scale of the profession, advertise and find markets... From traditional products made from sedge, Ms. Dao has developed many new designs, suitable for the tastes and consumption needs of customers such as: decorative boxes, lampshades, home and office decoration products from sedge...

Each worker working at the workshop, based on their abilities and strengths, Ms. Dao will be assigned to different stages in the production process, from mold making, framing, and knitting according to the model. Depending on each product, the worker can use different knitting techniques such as: small bamboo basket weaving, double bamboo basket weaving, wire twisting, leopard eye weaving... The worker must adjust the hand force evenly so that the product is sturdy and beautiful.

Once the product has achieved the desired shape, the excess sedge fibers will be neatly trimmed. After weaving, a protective layer of glue can be applied to increase durability and moisture resistance. Some products are polished to create a lighter, more attractive feel. For handbags, the craftsman can add straps, zippers, and fabric linings inside. For storage boxes and shelves, bamboo or wooden frames can be added to increase stiffness. The product is re-inspected to ensure there are no defects such as intact sedge fibers, uneven color, or dents. If the requirements are met, the product will be carefully packaged to avoid damage during transportation.

Due to the meticulousness, dedication and investment in the production process, handicraft products made from sedge materials at Ms. Dao's workshop are increasingly popular with customers. Currently, the workshop is creating jobs for 20 regular workers and about 200 seasonal workers. Ms. Dao said: "Improving the quality and diversifying product designs is one of the important steps to meet market demand, ensuring the sustainable development of traditional crafts and craft villages in general.

Not only developing the family economy and creating jobs for workers, with what she has accumulated, Ms. Dao has shared her knowledge and experience, opened vocational training classes for people, especially young workers and women. These practical actions have contributed to expanding the profession, boosting production of goods, solving employment, increasing per capita income, and promoting local socio-economic development.

On the day she applied for a loan from the Thanh Hoa Microfinance Organization, Ms. Cao Thi Dao did not have too high expectations. She simply thought: "I will try my best to preserve the sedge making profession to earn a living for my family and contribute to preserving and promoting the value of the profession and traditional craft villages of my hometown". But each step of Ms. Dao's development with the profession is the result of countless efforts, attempts, quickness, dedication, and constant learning. Because, for Ms. Dao, the philosophy of success comes from the most essential thing: "If you want to know, you have to ask, if you want to be good, you have to learn".

That is why, as soon as she learned that The Asia Foundation (TAF) and the Center for Women and Development (CWD) were implementing the “Grow My Business” (AMB) Project, with the participation of 3 partners, including Tinh Thuong Microfinance Organization (TYM), Thanh Hoa Microfinance Organization and VietED Microfinance Program (VietED MFI), Ms. Dao immediately registered to become a student. Here, she was trained for free, provided with basic knowledge and management skills in the fields of business and finance, and supported with 1-1 consulting from experts.

It is known that since the project was launched, through in-person and online classes, Thanh Hoa Microfinance Organization has supported more than 7,400 female members to participate in courses on financial management, marketing, business development, etc., far exceeding the project's target. Participating in activities within the project framework not only helps students have the opportunity to improve their management capacity but also provides a playground for them to learn and apply digital technology to business activities.

Microfinance is considered an effective tool in the strategy of hunger eradication, poverty reduction, income generation and improving living standards for the poor in many countries, especially countries that are making breakthroughs and strong changes in all aspects like Vietnam. As one of the four microfinance organizations licensed by the State Bank, Thanh Hoa Microfinance Organization has constantly strived to create and enhance value through connecting and spreading credit loans to a large number of customers who are poor, low-income, small traders, micro-enterprises...

Article and photos: Hoang Linh

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/dong-hanh-cung-phu-nu-nbsp-tren-hanh-trinh-phat-trien-kinh-te-254035.htm