Typical female entrepreneurs

Ms. Le Thi Dang, Xuan Tin commune, applies digital technology to online sales of feng shui landscape products.

Since childhood, Ms. Ha Thi Xem, in Van village, Yen Thang commune, has been familiar with the characteristic spicy aroma of mac khen salt - the "addictive" spice of the Muong and Thai people. Ms. Xem has kindled the dream of bringing the typical mac khen salt spice of the ethnic group to the market. Thinking is doing, she tried mixing, roasting, pounding, and bottling the first batches of salt and then invited friends and acquaintances to buy to support. Local ingredients such as bark of the doi tree, doi seeds, lemon leaves, dried chili... have created the unique product "Muong Deng mac khen salt". During the process of starting a business, Ms. Xem encountered many difficulties in finding markets, investment capital, business knowledge... these were obstacles that made her sleepless many nights. Because her hometown still has many difficulties, starting a business with a small, local product is very difficult. Every household has this raw material to use, so domestic consumption is impossible. We have to reach out to the outside market, build a brand, have a clear business strategy and sales method... to turn local specialties into products with high economic value.

With the determination to start a business and being introduced and supported by the Women's Union, Ms. Xem participated in highland culinary exchanges, events displaying and introducing products produced by women... She introduced the local specialty "Muong Deng Mac Khen Salt", focusing on packaging, labels, business registration, learning sales skills, online marketing... From a small handicraft product, Muong Deng salt has gradually gained the trust of the market, not only by people in the mountains, but also by people in the lowlands and overseas Vietnamese. Currently, Ms. Xem is producing a number of other products such as: buffalo jerky, pork jerky, hand-sharpened bamboo chopsticks and pre-processing and drying bamboo shoots harvested from the forest, creating jobs for 4 regular workers and many seasonal workers. Her family's revenue in 2024 will reach more than 600 million VND.

Recently, Ms. Le Thi Dang, a member of the Women's Union of Xuan Tin commune, was honored to receive the Outstanding Award from the Provincial Women's Union for her idea "Song Thu Waterfall - creating green space" at the "Startup Ideas and Products" contest in 2025 organized by the Provincial Women's Union. This is one of the ideas selected to compete at the regional level in the coming time, making Ms. Dang more excited and confident with her efforts over the past many years.

Coming from a poor Catholic family, despite her excellent academic achievements at school and winning a provincial-level excellent student competition, Dang had to give up her dream of going to university. In 2014, Dang got married and worked many jobs with her husband to make a living. Despite the difficulties and hardships, she always had a desire to start a business and did not allow herself to give up her dream of doing business. Not having the conditions to go to university like her peers, Dang chose to self-study. Learning from predecessors, from reality, books and the internet... step by step, accumulating knowledge to prepare for her entrepreneurial journey at the age of 30 with the job of making construction molds (fences); making feng shui products, decorative miniatures. Dang has grasped and applied digital technology, using Facebook, Zalo, Tiktok, and YouTube to communicate and approach customers. Up to now, her family's total annual income has reached 600 - 700 million VND, creating regular jobs for 6 workers and 5 - 6 seasonal workers.

Closely following the programs of the Party Committee and the government on implementing programs to help women develop the economy, every year, each association has helped at least 2 members in economic development and sustainable poverty reduction. Ms. Xem and Ms. Dang are two of many members and women who have been supported to start a business. With courage and high determination, they have demonstrated a breakthrough in the thinking and actions of women in regions with many different difficulties, overcoming barriers and social prejudices and breaking through, rising up to master their lives, turning their dreams into reality. Thereby, affirming their talents, roles and positions in economic development and building happy families. From production support activities, start-ups have emerged many typical women who have risen up to escape poverty with the results of their own labor, their families and the help of the association, becoming owners of farms, ranches, large-scale fields, directors of enterprises and cooperatives. Many women started their businesses from scratch, with little capital from organizations or bank loans, friends and relatives, investing in livestock, farming, handicrafts, services, construction, and large-scale business development, creating jobs for dozens and hundreds of workers with stable incomes. The valuable thing about women is that they are always ready to help and share with those who are in more difficult situations than themselves by providing capital, creating jobs, sharing experiences, and participating in humanitarian and charitable activities.

In the past 5 years (2020-2025), the association has helped more than 72,700 poor households in many forms, with a total value of nearly 40 billion VND; supported the establishment of 81 collective economic models owned by women; supported more than 15,000 women to start and launch businesses (including 988 businesses owned by women)...

Article and photos: Ha Le

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/nhung-dien-hinh-phu-nu-khoi-nghiep-260916.htm