Ms. Sung Thi Lan, Director of Muong Hoa Cooperative - Photo: PHAN BAO
In the context of digital transformation becoming an important driving force for development across the country, in remote villages with limited internet infrastructure in the Northwest highlands, success stories thanks to digital transformation are beginning to appear.
The journey of Ms. Sung Thi Lan (36 years old, Mong ethnic), Director of Muong Hoa Cooperative (Ta Van commune, Lao Cai province), is one of the typical examples.
Use Facebook to sell
Muong Hoa Cooperative was established in 2018 with 9 members, its main product is traditional brocade of the Mong people. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, 100% of revenue came from tourists trekking along the Sa Pa - Ta Van route.
"We had absolutely no idea what online was because we didn't have the Internet. We rarely had the chance to access it. When we did, we only used Facebook or Zalo to post random thoughts, which were useless for life," Lan recalls.
When the pandemic broke out, the store had to close completely. That was also the time GREAT - a cooperation project between the Australian Government and the People's Committee of Lao Cai province - and the local women's association connected Ms. Lan with KisStartup to participate in basic digital transformation courses: using Facebook to sell, creating fanpages, building content, and managing customer data.
"After many lessons, we understood that Facebook is used to approach the market, Zalo can take care of customers. From there, we created a fanpage for Muong Hoa Cooperative and started to receive orders even though the epidemic was still going on," Ms. Lan shared.
Even during the social distancing period, she still opened the shop to... take photos of the products. Whenever there was an order, she traveled from Ta Van to Sa Pa to send the goods. Maintaining orders during the epidemic season made many surrounding households curious and came to learn.
From her own needs, Ms. Lan gradually became a person who inspired the community. She opened small sharing sessions for women in the village on how to use the phone, post articles, and take product photos. At first, many people did not know Kinh so they were reluctant to learn, but when they saw the opportunity to increase their income, they began to join the cooperative.
The cooperative has grown from its original nine members into a network of more than 300 women in many localities such as Lao Cai, Lai Chau, the old Ha Giang (new Tuyen Quang province), and Son La. The groups are divided according to their strengths: embroidery, fabric dyeing, linen weaving, beeswax painting, sewing, tour guiding, homestay, and cuisine. Each province also has group leaders in charge of collecting raw materials, providing technical training, and coordinating production.
This operating model helps the cooperative meet large orders while maintaining a stable income for ethnic minority women, averaging between VND300,000 and VND700,000 per month from making handicrafts. Although not their main source of income, this source of income helps them be more proactive in their families and continue to maintain their traditional profession.
Spreading the business model
After receiving support from GREAT and KisStartup, Ms. Lan expanded her business model: instead of just selling souvenirs, the cooperative focuses on sustainable products, providing raw materials for fashion designers in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang and the Chinese market. 70% of revenue now comes from orders for brocade according to high quality standards.
In addition, she developed cultural experience tours such as beeswax painting, indigo dyeing, herbal baths... thanks to advice from KisStartup. The processes of operation, tour pricing and customer management have been digitized step by step, helping to expand the market and increase revenue.
Ms. Vu Thi Quynh Anh, Deputy Head of the GREAT project team, commented: "Ms. Lan is a typical example of digital transformation suitable for the capacity of micro-enterprises. Ms. Lan not only applies digital tools to maintain business operations but also shares knowledge, supporting many ethnic minority women households to access and apply them in practice."
KisStartup also connects micro-enterprises, business households and cooperatives with digital service providers at affordable costs. The low-cost consulting model (VND 150,000/15 minutes) helps businesses form the habit of using professional services even after the project ends.
After one year of implementation, more than 200 businesses in Lao Cai and Son La have increased their digital capacity. Many businesses managed by ethnic minority women have used paid digital services and recorded revenue growth.
According to GREAT's assessment, Vietnam has made significant progress in digital integration: the rate of households with Internet access reached 84%, more than 70% of adults use smartphones, and rural e-commerce is developing strongly.
However, micro-enterprises and ethnic minority women still face barriers in skills and access to information. Models like Muong Hoa Cooperative show that taking steps, starting with small but practical skills, can create sustainable change.
Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Gillian Bird emphasized: "It is truly inspiring to witness the remarkable change in the lives of cases like Ms. Sung Thi Lan, Director of Muong Hoa Cooperative.
Her successful business model benefits over 300 households in the local community and surrounding areas. When both men and women have the opportunity to reach their potential, economies grow and countries become more prosperous."
From a woman who had no idea what Facebook was for, Ms. Lan has become a community leader, connecting hundreds of households to the digital economy. That journey also reflects the spirit that programs like GREAT are pursuing.
Mr. Nguyen Hoai Nam, in charge of the project, commented that the current poverty reduction mindset has shifted from free support to market orientation: not only "giving fishing rods", but also helping people know "how to fish and where to sell fish". This approach is creating conditions for models like Ms. Lan's to develop sustainably right in the highland villages.
67.4 million Australian dollars
GREAT's full name is Promoting Gender Equality through Improving Economic Efficiency in Agricultural Production and Tourism Development. The project includes 28 sub-projects, which started in 2017 and will last for 10 years, with a total investment of 67.4 million Australian dollars from the government.
Ms. Quynh Anh said that GREAT is entering phase 2 (2022 - 2027), expanding its goal to build a digital ecosystem in Lao Cai and Son La provinces. The project coordinates with Tay Bac University and Thai Nguyen University branch to train digital skills, artificial intelligence (AI), and data analysis for students, who are also the future digital human resources of the locality.
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PHAN BAO
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/khong-con-canh-cho-khach-du-lich-nguoi-phu-nu-mong-giup-ca-ban-doi-doi-nho-chuyen-doi-so-20251128222150066.htm
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