Returning home to start a new life.

Leaving urban areas, many young people bring with them capital, skills, and aspirations to return to their hometowns to start businesses after working far away. Small-scale models that closely meet daily needs are opening up opportunities for them to earn a living right in their hometowns.

Mr. Nguyen Quoc Vinh (on the right) shares his experience in caring for frog eggs. Photo: BAO TRAN

Small shop in the countryside

At 6 a.m., in a small nail salon nestled beside the Saturday Market in Dong Thai commune, Pham Thi Diem My (28 years old) turns on the lights and arranges new bottles of nail polish on the shelves. A few years ago, at this time, she would be preparing for her shift at a garment factory in the Binh Duong industrial zone. In 2023, she enrolled in short-term training courses in nail care and scalp massage. During her studies, she worked part-time at the salon to gain experience in customer service, cost management, and purchasing supplies. Once her skills were solid, she decided to return to her hometown to open her own salon.

In early 2025, using her savings, she opened a small shop at the Saturday Market. In the beginning, the number of customers was sparse, and the income wasn't enough to cover the costs of rent, electricity, water, and supplies. Ms. My shared: "Some days, I only had a few customers all day. But if I closed, I would lose regular customers, so I tried to keep the shop open regularly. I posted pictures and videos on social media to reach more people; I adjusted service prices to suit the income of local people, and offered promotions to encourage them to use my services. Most importantly, I maintained my reputation and honed my skills."

After nearly a year in operation, the shop has a stable customer base, mainly small traders and women around the market. With the revenue, she continues to invest in machinery, updating designs and services. "I'm planning to buy another essential oil diffuser. I buy as I go, I don't dare expand too quickly. The income isn't as much as when I worked far away, but it's less stressful and I can save a little, and I'm close to home. When I close the shop at night, I can go home and have dinner with my parents," My confided.

Effective frog farming

At midday under the sun, Nguyen Quoc Vinh (30 years old), residing in Kinh 1B hamlet, An Bien commune, carefully checks each frog breeding enclosure. In the breeding area, plastic containers, feed bags, and tools are neatly arranged. Every day, he monitors the water level and the frogs' growth to adjust his care accordingly. "Raising frogs looks simple, but negligence will lead to losses. I can't rest easy if I don't check on them every day," Vinh said.

Previously, Mr. Vinh had worked abroad for many years to save up capital. In 2021, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, he returned to his hometown and sought long-term business opportunities locally. After trying several farming models, he decided to choose frog farming because it suited the available conditions, required relatively low investment capital, and had a quick return on investment. He proactively researched through books, newspapers, the internet, and visited local farmers to learn from their practices. Starting with just a few breeding pairs, he gradually expanded his scale, invested in more ponds, and improved his care methods.

Currently, Vinh's farm maintains thousands of breeding frogs, regularly supplying froglets and commercial frogs to the market. Thanks to his bold application of digital technology in promoting and selling his products on social media platforms, his products have become well-known to many customers. During peak periods, profits reach 30-60 million VND per month. Vinh said: "In the countryside, it's difficult to sell without utilizing social media. I diligently film videos and post regularly, and customers gradually become familiar with my business and place orders consistently. Once you've returned to your hometown, you have to be determined to see things through to the end; giving up halfway would be a waste of all the savings you've accumulated working far away."

According to Mr. Nguyen Tan Ngoan, Deputy Secretary of the Party Branch of Kinh 1B hamlet, Vinh, a young man from a disadvantaged background, has strived to build an effective economic model that contributes to diversifying livestock in the locality. Not only is he successful in business, but he is also willing to share his experience and support young people in accessing frog farming techniques, fostering a local entrepreneurship movement.

From small but practical models, young people are proactively forging their own livelihoods in their hometowns. With timely support in terms of capital, skills, and markets, this return to the countryside will be more sustainable, contributing to further development of the rural economy in the new era.

BAO TRAN

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/hoi-huong-lap-nghiep-a477823.html