Female officials from ethnic minority groups wholeheartedly serve the people.

Having been involved in social work since 2009, Ms. Thi Phuong (born in 1985), a S'tieng ethnic minority woman from Tranh 3 hamlet, Quang Minh commune, Chon Thanh town, is currently the hamlet head and head of the women's association branch. She previously worked at the Quang Minh Commune People's Committee and is...

Work responsibly.

"Work must be done responsibly; once assigned a task by superiors, it must be completed" - with this motto, over the years, in each of her assigned responsibilities and tasks, Ms. Thi Phuong has actively propagated and encouraged people to comply with the regulations of the State and the locality, maintain unity in the community, change some outdated customs, and work together to build a new rural area.

During the period when Quang Minh commune was striving to achieve the new rural development goals, Ms. Phuong mobilized the people to contribute labor to build three rural roads totaling 4.7 km in length, costing over 251 million VND, and planted a 200-meter-long flower-lined road. Implementing the "All People Unite to Build a Culturally Rich Life in Residential Areas" campaign, the number of culturally exemplary households in the hamlet consistently reached over 96% annually, and the residential area has been recognized as a culturally exemplary residential area for many consecutive years. She is also the group leader of the "Living a Good Life and Upholding Moral Values" model with nearly 50 members.

Ms. Thi Phuong regularly meets with the people to understand their thoughts and aspirations.

During the Covid-19 outbreak, Ms. Thi Phuong participated in the Community Contact Tracing Team, regularly going around to educate and encourage people to self-isolate at home. In coordination with local authorities and hamlet committees, she mobilized and distributed hundreds of gift packages and essential supplies to residents; actively encouraged people to get vaccinated and assisted in getting Covid-19 vaccines at the commune health station.

Ms. Thi Phuong shared: “My advantage is that I know two languages, the S'tieng ethnic language and Vietnamese. When disseminating information, if older people don't know Vietnamese, I speak in my own language so they understand more quickly. Besides, as a woman, I can easily reach the elderly, the young, teenagers, and children, making it easier to grasp the thoughts and aspirations of all segments of the population so I can provide appropriate guidance. If people don't understand something, I will explain it thoroughly so that everyone agrees and follows.”

Tranh 3 Hamlet currently has 112 households with 557 people, of which over 92% are ethnic minority households, with two main religions: Protestantism and Catholicism. In the early years after Tranh 3 Hamlet was established (2009), the rural transportation infrastructure and the economic lives of the people were very difficult, the level of education was low, and production was purely agricultural, mainly cashew nuts and upland rice. Sixteen years later, the appearance of Tranh 3 has changed dramatically. Roads have been invested in and built, household economies have gradually stabilized, children attend school regularly, and people enjoy social welfare benefits... This has strengthened the people's trust in the Party, the State, and all levels of government.

Preserving and promoting the traditional brocade weaving craft.

For many years working with women, Ms. Thi Phuong's aspiration has been to change the lives of women in the hamlet, so that each woman can confidently and boldly break free from gender stereotypes, dare to think and act, and believe in her own ability to succeed. Ms. Phuong and the Executive Committee of the Women's Association have mobilized and donated 5 savings accounts to members; encouraged 32 women to participate in literacy classes; supported one humanitarian cause; and established and maintained clubs and groups for cultural and sports activities. Dozens of women have been given access to low-interest loans to develop their production. Ms. Phuong has also encouraged and supported members in improving their skills, knowledge of the law, and material and spiritual well-being, and building happy families. The Women's Association of Tranh 3 hamlet also implements and maintains a piggy bank savings model to help poor women develop their economy.

Ms. Phuong is always concerned about finding a younger generation to continue the traditional brocade weaving craft of the S'tieng ethnic group.

Under Ms. Phuong's leadership, the Women's Association of Tranh 3 Hamlet has promoted various campaigns and emulation movements such as: "Building the Vietnamese woman of the new era"; "Women of Binh Phuoc speak kind words and do good deeds" linked to studying and following the thoughts, morals, and style of Ho Chi Minh; "Women with the movement to build clean and beautiful residential areas everywhere"; "Building families with 5 no's and 3 clean's", "5 yes's and 3 clean's"... Through these efforts, strong and widespread changes have been created, gaining the support and participation of members and the people.

One of the concerns of this S'tieng ethnic minority female official is preserving and promoting the traditional brocade weaving craft of her people. With the support of the commune's Farmers' Association, in 2023, Ms. Phuong established the Brocade Weaving Group in Tranh 3 hamlet with 16 members. The patterns and motifs on the brocade were learned by the women from their grandmothers and mothers, thus preserving the traditional beauty. In addition to serving local needs, the weaving group also actively collaborates in promoting its products online and on e-commerce platforms. To date, although the products produced are not numerous and sales are still difficult, Ms. Phuong always hopes to pass on the craft to the younger generation so that brocade weaving does not fade away. “My colleagues and I in the group are looking for solutions to attract and retain young people. For now, the weaving group has invested in sewing machines, so I want to find two young people to learn sewing and take charge of the garment making. I'm also trying to promote and encourage the S'tieng women and their descendants not to abandon this traditional craft,” Ms. Phuong said.

According to Ms. Drênh Thị Hạnh, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Quang Minh Commune, Ms. Thị Phương is a dynamic and creative female cadre and Party member from an ethnic minority group, who always excels in all assigned tasks. “During her work, Ms. Phương has made many contributions to the residential area, the locality, and the women's association movement, especially in preserving the cultural identity of the S'tiêng people. For these contributions, she has been commended and rewarded by various levels and associations. Ms. Phương deserves to be a role model for women, especially those from ethnic minority groups, to emulate,” Ms. Hạnh shared.

Source: https://baobinhphuoc.com.vn/news/9/170904/nu-can-bo-dong-bao-dan-toc-thieu-so-het-long-vi-dan