Unleashing the inner potential of women in ethnic minority communities.

In recent years, alongside national target programs, Project 8, "Implementing Gender Equality and Addressing Urgent Issues for Women and Children," has been effectively implemented in Thoi An Hoi commune, Can Tho city. With unwavering determination and exceptional efforts, the Women's Union of the commune has played a core role in disseminating information and raising community awareness about gender equality; developing numerous livelihood models; and caring for the material and spiritual well-being of its members. This has opened up many opportunities for ethnic minority women and children to access information, overcome barriers, and improve their status within the family and society.

Báo Cần Thơ•14/12/2025

Strengthen propaganda efforts.

In 2022, Project 8 was implemented in An Hoa and An Nhon hamlets, where the Khmer ethnic minority accounts for approximately 30.4% of the population. Previously, many Khmer women in these two hamlets faced numerous difficulties, including unstable incomes, limited opportunities to participate in community activities, and restricted access to and understanding of legal policies, especially those related to marriage and family. As a result, child marriage and domestic violence still occurred in the area.

According to Ms. Duong Thi Kim Thi, President of the Women's Union of Thoi An Hoi commune, in order for Project 8 "Implementing gender equality and addressing urgent issues for women and children" to be implemented effectively, the Women's Union of the commune develops a specific plan each year, selecting appropriate content and forms of communication. Each year, the Union coordinates 15 communication sessions, attracting approximately 750 Khmer ethnic minority women and members. The sessions revolve around topics such as gender equality in the family and community; eliminating gender stereotypes; preventing and combating child marriage; understanding the Law on Marriage and Family; reproductive health care; and skills in preventing, avoiding, and responding to domestic violence…

Officials from the Thoi An Hoi Commune Women's Union are raising awareness about gender equality and learning about the lives of Khmer ethnic minority women members.

The Women's Union of the commune has built and maintained many models: "Trusted Addresses," Happy Family Club in Dai An hamlet; Club for Preventing and Combating Abuse of Women and Children in An Hoa hamlet; Leaders of Change Club at the Ke Sach District Ethnic Boarding Secondary School; Women's Group for Raising Healthy and Well-Behaved Children in An Hoa hamlet... Group meetings are flexibly arranged in the evenings or on weekends, combining cultural and artistic exchanges, thematic activities… creating a cheerful and close atmosphere, attracting many members and women. In addition, the Women's Union of the commune proactively creates Zalo groups to expand its communication channels.

The commune also established two community communication teams with 25 members, including Party branch secretaries, heads of people's committees, officials from various organizations, and influential figures among the Khmer people. Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoa, Head of the Women's Association in An Hoa hamlet, shared: "To help women better understand the information, I chose a simple, sincere way of speaking, linking it to everyday stories of women who overcame difficulties and raised their children to be successful... thereby motivating and encouraging them to strive in life."

Supporting members in improving their quality of life.

Alongside promoting and raising community awareness about gender equality, the Thoi An Hoi Women's Union focuses on empowering women economically . Specifically in An Hoa and An Nhon hamlets, the Union maintains two women's groups for family economic development; creating conditions for members and women to borrow capital from the Social Policy Bank to develop livestock farming, crop cultivation, and small-scale trading… with a total outstanding loan balance of over 1 billion VND. Ms. Le Thi Xuan from An Hoa hamlet shared: “I received preferential loans from the Union to raise pigs and open a grocery store at home. Thanks to using the capital for the right purpose and working hard, my family has escaped poverty and built a solid house.”

Besides policy-based funding, women's groups in An Hoa and An Nhon hamlets maintain a revolving fund model and a "turning waste into money" model to raise funds to support members and women in difficult circumstances. Annually, the Women's Union of the commune coordinates the organization of training courses on livestock farming and crop cultivation, and provides guidance on treating livestock waste using biogas digesters...

Thanks to the synchronized implementation of activities within the framework of Project 8, the number of poor and near-poor households in An Hoa hamlet, An Nhon commune, has decreased significantly each year. Currently, the average income of women participating in the economic model has increased by about 50% compared to before. Child marriage and domestic violence no longer occur; the awareness of law compliance among the people, including Khmer women, has improved significantly...

According to Ms. Duong Thi Kim Thi, President of the Women's Union of Thoi An Hoi commune, the Union will continue to maintain and expand the effective models of Project 8; focusing on expanding the network of community communication groups. Along with that, they will strengthen training and skill development for Union officials and members of community communication groups; and promote the application of digital transformation in communication. The Women's Union of Thoi An Hoi commune will continue to connect resources to support livelihoods and build more economic models suitable to the actual conditions of Khmer women… Thereby, contributing to promoting the internal strength of women in ethnic minority areas and working together to build a more developed locality.

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