Women help each other reduce poverty.

Over the years, the women's movement for mutual economic development in Ca Mau has spread widely, becoming a bright spot in the province's sustainable poverty reduction goals. Through projects supporting entrepreneurship, collective economic development, policy credit, and vocational training, thousands of women have found employment, increased their income, gradually escaped poverty, and achieved stable lives.

• Agreement signed to support farmers and women in accessing credit.
• Women in Ca Mau "hunt" for OCOP products.
• Vietnamese women "Keeping the flame of tradition alive - Leading innovation - Mastering knowledge - Overcoming themselves - Confidently integrating - Spreading compassion - Building the future"*

Creating stable livelihoods

In Hamlet 1/5 (Khanh Binh commune), Ms. Nguyen Ngoc Han (37 years old) once had a very difficult time making a living. Without land to cultivate, raising three young children alone, she had to do all kinds of jobs such as weeding and planting rice, resulting in an unstable income that left her constantly struggling to make ends meet. Every time she went away for work, she worried anxiously about her children at home.

The turning point came when the Women's Union of the commune facilitated her participation in a vocational training course on weaving baskets from sedge. In a short time, she mastered the technique, able to weave about 4-5 products per day, earning 70-100 thousand dong. Although the amount wasn't large, it was steady, helping her cover living expenses and support her children's education.

Members of the Weaving Group in Hamlet 1/5 are weaving sedge baskets according to orders.

"Thanks to basket weaving, I can work from home while also taking care of my children and dropping them off at school. When I have free time, I also take the opportunity to weed and replant rice to earn extra income," Ms. Han confided.

The 1/5 Hamlet Weaving Group was established in September 2025 and has 12 members. Previously, most of the women worked in farming, housework, or seasonal labor, resulting in unstable incomes. Since joining the group, each person earns between 60,000 and 100,000 VND per day, with those who are more skilled earning up to 150,000 VND per day.

Ms. Nguyen Bich Lieu, Chairwoman of the Women's Union of Khanh Binh commune, said: "On average, the group delivers 500-600 products to the affiliated enterprise every two weeks. The weaving craft not only helps women earn extra income but also creates jobs for unemployed women, contributing to stable family life and reducing the pressure of making a living. In the future, the union will continue to expand its partnerships and diversify product designs to attract more women to participate."

In Hiep Thanh ward, many livelihood models have proven effective, such as garment manufacturing, net mending, dried seafood production, and duck farming. A prime example is the Chom Xoai Garment Manufacturing Cooperative, established in 2022 with nearly 20 members. Thanks to the cooperative's connections with garment companies and facilities inside and outside the province, orders are stable, allowing the women to produce with peace of mind and earn an income of 4.5-6 million VND per month.

Ms. Bich Tuyen, a member of the Garment Processing Cooperative, shared: “Previously, my family's shrimp farming failed, so life was very difficult. Since joining the cooperative, I earn more than 6 million VND per month, and with my husband's income, our family's finances have gradually stabilized, allowing us to provide our children with a better education.”

The Chòm Xoài Pineapple Garment Processing Cooperative (Hiep Thanh Ward) maintains regular employment and provides stable income for its members.

Organizing production into groups and teams, with linked product consumption, significantly improves economic efficiency. Women not only earn income but also enhance their role and status in the family and society.

Supporting through various practical solutions.

During the past term, alongside building livelihood models , women's associations at all levels have actively supported women's participation in the OCOP program. From advising on ideas and training in brand building to completing dossiers and connecting with businesses for trade promotion, the associations have closely accompanied these women. To date, 231 products from 104 businesses supported by the associations have been recognized as OCOP 3-4 stars, contributing to increasing product value and expanding consumer markets.

The project "Supporting women-managed cooperatives and creating jobs for female workers by 2030" has been implemented comprehensively. Currently, the association manages 43 cooperatives with 1,470 members, including 28 newly established cooperatives. Many cooperatives operate effectively, creating stable jobs for female workers, focusing on value chain production, and increasing competitiveness in the market.

The "Women of Ca Mau Confidently Engaging in Economic Activities" movement has been implemented flexibly, adapting to the specific conditions of each locality. From renovating neglected gardens and establishing "Family Vegetable Gardens" and "Vegetable-Pond-Fish Garden" models to developing livestock farming, garment manufacturing, net mending, handicraft weaving, and catering for parties and events, women proactively choose suitable livelihoods, generating local income while ensuring a safe food supply for their families.

Vocational training and job placement continued to be a priority. Through coordination, women's associations at all levels organized nearly 10,000 training courses and vocational classes for over 352,000 members and women; and introduced jobs to more than 20,950 female workers.

Policy credit capital continues to be a crucial "lever" in sustainable poverty reduction. Through entrustment with the Social Policy Bank, the total outstanding loan balance managed by the association reached over 2,577 billion VND, supporting more than 70,200 households with women to borrow capital for production development and improving their lives. In addition, the association directly assisted 3,029 poor and near-poor households headed by women, of which 2,169 households have achieved sustainable poverty alleviation, contributing to reducing the overall poverty rate in the province.

Members of the dried seafood production cooperative in Hiep Thanh ward dry their products, ensuring quality before supplying them to the market.

In the coming period, women's associations at all levels will continue to promote digital transformation in economic development, piloting models such as "Digital Cooperatives," "Digital Women's Business Groups," and "Digital Markets - Digital Rural Areas"; supporting women's participation in e-commerce platforms, cashless payments, and expanding product markets.

Through concrete, practical models and innovative approaches, women in Ca Mau are increasingly asserting their leading role in the economic development of their families and communities. Their spirit of solidarity and mutual support has not only helped thousands of households rise out of poverty, overcome difficulties, and become wealthy, but has also made a significant contribution to the province's sustainable socio-economic development goals in the new era.

Tu Quyen

Source: https://baocamau.vn/phu-nu-giup-nhau-giam-ngheo-a126818.html