Collect scrap to help the poor

By collecting and sorting waste and selling scrap materials to generate income, women's associations at all levels in the province have additional funds to help the poor and disadvantaged members.

Women in Coc village, Phu Chau commune (Dong Hung district) are implementing a model of turning waste into money to help orphans and women in particularly difficult circumstances.

These aren't scrap yards, but once a month or once a quarter, many community centers, village and neighborhood yards, and even the yards of individual families, become collection points for cardboard, beer cans, and soft drink cans... And the people who sort and collect these scraps are local women's association members.

Ms. Tran Thi Nhu, a member of the Women's Association in Coc village, Phu Chau commune (Dong Hung district), said: "I collect scrap materials and then bring them to the association when they come to collect them. Collecting them this way keeps my house clean and tidy, and I can also contribute a small part to helping those in need."

No job is easy, especially one that doesn't bring any benefit to the person doing it. After a period of implementation, the officials, members, and women not only became familiar with sorting and the dirtiness of the waste, but also with questions like, "Why pick up the waste?" or "We're picking it up to support others, it's not ours, so why bother?"

Ms. Doan Thi Quynh Nhien, President of the Women's Union of Thuy Binh commune (Thai Thuy district), shared: "At the beginning of 2019, the Women's Union of the commune established a model for collecting scrap materials to raise funds to help poor women. Initially, many women thought that collecting scrap materials was time-consuming while the money earned was insignificant, so they often threw them away with household waste. Since seeing the effectiveness of the model, which both maintains environmental hygiene and helps many people, the women have become increasingly supportive. Before that, the Union also encouraged women to sort waste at home. Organic waste is used to make organic fertilizer (using landfill or microbial fermentation methods). Inorganic waste that cannot be recycled or reused is collected and transported to a central landfill. Recyclable inorganic waste is kept separately and donated to the Union."

Despite having different names—saving from scrap materials or collecting and sorting recyclable waste to raise funds for poor women and children—the implementation of the model of turning waste into money all aim at supporting women and children in difficult circumstances. By mid-April 2023, the model had been implemented in 214 communes, wards, and towns with 501 models, raising over 1.133 billion VND. A simple calculation shows that, with an average scrap price of 5,000 VND/kg, officials, members, and women have contributed to collecting and recycling over 226 tons of scrap materials.

Pham Tan Phuoc, from Tran Phu village, Binh Dinh commune (Kien Xuong district), shared: "I've been sponsored by the women's union of the commune. I learned that part of the funding comes from the scrap materials they collect. I appreciate and am grateful for their kindness."

Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuong, President of the Provincial Women's Union, said: Currently, the model of turning waste into money has become a highlight in implementing the campaign "Building a family with 5 no's and 3 clean's" and "Building a family with 5 yes's and 3 clean's," linked to improving the quality of environmental criteria in building advanced new rural areas and model new rural areas. Besides the core value of jointly protecting the environment from the harmful effects of waste, the model also spreads many profound humanistic and humanitarian meanings to the community. In the coming time, the Provincial Women's Union will continue to direct units to encourage and guide grassroots organizations to implement the model; and at the same time, research and organize conferences and seminars to share experiences and commend advanced examples in implementing the model.

Turning waste into money and using that money for community activities creates a double benefit thanks to a special catalyst: enthusiasm, a willingness to overcome difficulties and hardships, and it also provides an opportunity for waste to be recycled in a new, more useful way.

Women in Coc village, Phu Chau commune (Dong Hung district) are implementing a model of turning waste into money to help orphans and women in particularly difficult circumstances.

Xuan Phuong

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