Starting a business using local resources

- Currently, traditional medicine is receiving attention and encouragement for development, linked with the application of science and technology in processing. Ms. Hoang Hai Yen (born in 1984, Block 22, Ky Lua Ward) has developed a model of "Cultivating and preserving the 'Mung Bean' plant and processing it into herbal massage wine." This model not only provides a stable income for her family but also creates jobs for many local women.

Báo Lạng Sơn•17/12/2025

Ms. Hoang Hai Yen (on the right) introduces herbal massage oil products to consumers.

The Chinese elm is a climbing plant that was formerly commonly grown in home gardens by people in the former Cao Loc district for medicinal purposes. Its seeds are used to dissolve bruises, reduce pain, and prevent infection. However, in recent years, this plant has become increasingly rare, with fewer and fewer people aware of its uses and cultivating it.

Ms. Hoang Hai Yen, owner of Hoang Yen herbal massage oil processing facility, said: "Based on the reality that my family has young children who often run and jump, tripping and falling during daily activities, leading to bruises, I noticed that the folk remedy from the mung bean plant is effective in supporting the treatment of minor injuries such as aches, sprains, bruises, and muscle fatigue... This is a gentle remedy but is little known and has not yet been exploited as a commercial product."

From her initial idea, in 2018, Ms. Yen proactively purchased mung bean seeds and provided seedlings to several women in the ward to cultivate and develop a large-scale raw material area for the production of massage oil. To date, the mung bean raw material area developed through Ms. Yen's partnerships covers over 2 hectares. Mung bean plants begin to yield a harvest after about a year of planting. The seeds are harvested and processed to be used as raw materials for making massage oil for external use. Currently, Ms. Yen purchases mung bean seeds from partner households at a price ranging from 500,000 to 700,000 VND/kg, depending on the time of year.

The ingredients for producing herbal massage oil include: high-concentration distilled rice wine, mature mung beans, and several traditional medicinal herbs to enhance the effectiveness of the remedy. The ingredients are soaked and fermented for over a year to allow the essences to blend, creating a homogeneous mixture. To improve product value and convenience for users, in 2024, Ms. Yen invested in a semi-automatic filling machine, a herbal chopping and slicing machine, and also perfected the packaging, labeling, and product standard declaration according to regulations.

Ms. Trinh Thi Minh, from Dong Kinh ward, said: "Due to my age, I often suffer from knee pain and joint pain in my hands, causing a lot of inconvenience in my daily life. Through a relative's recommendation, I learned about Hoang Yen herbal massage oil. When I sprayed the oil and massaged it on the affected area, the pain symptoms significantly decreased. I find this to be a very useful product."

In addition, Ms. Yen proactively expanded her market by establishing direct sales agents and online sales channels on social media. Currently, her production facility sells approximately 800 to 1,000 herbal massage oil products to the market each month. With a selling price of around 200,000 VND per 20ml bottle, revenue reaches 160 million to 200 million VND per month; after deducting expenses, the profit is approximately 20 million VND per month.

Ms. Hoang Hai Yen's project, "Cultivating and preserving the 'Nguyen Dau' plant and processing it into herbal massage wine," surpassed dozens of other women's startup projects and ideas from across the province to reach the finals of the 2025 Women's Entrepreneurship Day organized by the Provincial Women's Union, winning an encouragement award. The project was highly praised by the judging panel for its economic and social effectiveness, as well as its value in preserving and promoting indigenous knowledge.

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