Women in Lang Son are innovating their economic thinking and unlocking local resources.

Despite enduring periods severely impacted by natural disasters and epidemics, women in Lang Son have persevered, writing inspiring stories of their efforts to escape poverty. Sustainable livelihood models and humanitarian programs have become a solid foundation for women in Lang Son, thereby affirming the position of the Women's Union in the social life of this border region.

Amidst the bustling preparations for the 17th Congress of the Women's Union of Lang Son province, term 2025-2030, Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Van, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Lang Son province and President of the Lang Son Provincial Women's Union, shared that the past period has been a time of extraordinary efforts to affirm the pivotal role of women in the province's economic development.

The achievements of the 2021-2026 period are vividly evident in every household and every green economic model in the border regions of the country. "The brightest highlight is the strong shift in entrepreneurial thinking as women proactively apply technology and build OCOP brands. The establishment of 54 new cooperatives and cooperative groups is clear evidence of this spirit," Ms. Van stated.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Van, Vice Chairperson of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Lang Son province, Chairperson of the Lang Son Provincial Women's Union.

In particular, the entrusted loan program with the Social Policy Bank, reaching nearly 1,900 billion VND, has made the Vietnam Women's Union the largest capital management unit among socio- political organizations. This enormous capital is not just a statistic but truly a supportive force, helping thousands of members realize their dream of escaping poverty right in their homeland.

A vivid example of this is the story in Tam Thanh ward. Ms. Lang Thi Le Thuy, Standing Vice Chairwoman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of the ward and Chairwoman of the Women's Union of the ward, led us to visit the model of Ms. Ta Thi Hoa (born in 1985, Nung ethnic minority, residing in Hoang Tam block) with her herbal shampoo product. Starting from concerns about hair breakage and loss and faith in the indigenous knowledge of the Nung people, Ms. Hoa meticulously researched a formula using soapberry, basil, and betel leaves.

Ms. Lang Thi Le Thuy (left), Standing Vice Chairwoman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Tam Thanh Ward, and Chairwoman of the Women's Union of Tam Thanh Ward, visited the natural herbal medicine startup model of Ms. Ta Thi Hoa (born in 1985, Nung ethnic group, residing in Hoang Tam Hamlet).

"This model not only provides a stable income of 30 million VND per month for Ms. Hoa's family but also creates jobs for many local women with salaries of 7-8 million VND. This is proof that urban women know how to leverage local strengths combined with modern market thinking to create high value-added products, instead of just selling raw materials as before," Ms. Thuy said.

The atmosphere of striving for economic excellence has spread strongly to even the border communes. In Cao Loc commune, Ms. Be Kim Anh, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee and Chairwoman of the Women's Union, proudly mentions Ms. Luong Thi Ban (born in 2002, Nung ethnic minority, residing in Ban Hec village). Daring to change her mindset, Ms. Ban converted her low-yield acacia plantation into a high-tech, clean orange orchard. Currently, her 1-hectare orange orchard generates an income of approximately 200 million VND per year and has become a tourist attraction.

Ms. Luong Thi Ban converted her unproductive acacia plantation into a clean orange orchard, earning approximately 200 million VND per year and developing the orchard into an experiential tourism destination in Cao Loc commune.

Ms. Kim Anh shared that the dynamism and boldness of young members like Ms. Ban have created a new impetus, promoting the women's entrepreneurship movement to spread throughout the villages and hamlets in the border region. These models affirm that, whether in bustling cities or remote border areas, women in Lang Son continue to strive to become self-reliant, making practical contributions to building new rural areas and civilized cities.

A solid foundation for social security built on models of compassion.

Besides the vibrant economic front, the 2021-2026 term also left a strong mark on social welfare activities. Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Van was moved when mentioning the "Godmother" program, one of the most profound humanitarian highlights. With a total support value of over 2.9 billion VND, 402 orphaned children have found a loving support system to continue striving in life.

Ms. Van affirmed that the program not only provides material support but also offers emotional care and support to compensate for the children's losses. These "godmothers," wearing the Association's uniform, have become a strong source of emotional support, helping the children overcome their insecurities and confidently integrate into the community.

The Women's Union of Hung Vu commune (Lang Son province), in coordination with the commune's police, has adopted Be Thi Hong Nhung under the "Godmother" program, providing 2,400,000 VND in support and gifts to encourage her, starting in August 2025.

At the grassroots level, the spirit of mutual support and compassion is concretized through practical actions related to environmental protection. Ms. Lang Thi Le Thuy shared about the "Green House" model, which collects scrap materials to raise funds, and this has become a regular activity in Tam Thanh ward. In each branch, these "Green Houses" are placed in convenient locations for women to collect plastic bottles and cardboard. The money from selling scrap materials may be small, but it accumulates into a large fund to visit and give gifts to members who are sick or in need. Ms. Thuy said that these small actions have bonded the women and created a strong sense of solidarity right from the residential area, transforming waste into love.

In Cao Loc commune, Ms. Be Kim Anh said that despite the large area and the distance between villages, social welfare models such as the "Green House" fundraising program from collecting scrap materials, the "Godmother" program, the "Adopted Child of the Association" program, and the "Shelter of Love" fundraising campaign are still regularly maintained. From collected plastic bottles and scrap paper, and small contributions from members, the Association has promptly provided gifts, educational support, house repairs, and helped many poor women and children overcome difficult times, giving them more motivation to improve their lives.

The Women's Union of Cao Loc district (formerly) connected resources and supported the construction of "Houses of Love" for members in difficult circumstances.

Beyond caring for their people, women in Lang Son are also actively involved in beautifying their homeland and preserving its cultural identity. Hundreds of flower-lined roads and thousands of neatly planned household waste disposal sites are transforming the face of the mountainous countryside day and night. In particular, the movement to preserve traditional clothing has spread strongly through the establishment of 62 "Charitable Ao Dai Cabinets" and "Traditional Ao Dai Cabinets".

"These results provide a solid foundation for all levels of the Women's Union to confidently enter the new term with a readiness to contribute and innovate. The harmonious combination of economic development and social welfare, of modernity and tradition, has created a unique identity for the women's movement in Lang Son during the past term," affirmed Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Van.

By the end of the 2021-2026 term, the Women's Union at all levels in Lang Son province had achieved impressive results in supporting economic development. The entire province maintained and expanded nearly 4,600 savings models following President Ho Chi Minh's example, mobilizing a total of over 3.6 billion VND. Notably, through the "Women Helping Each Other Reduce Poverty" movement and the "Building Homes of Love" campaign, the Women's Union at all levels supported the construction and repair of 97 houses for poor women.

The most outstanding achievement is that it has helped more than 3,360 households escape poverty and near-poverty, far exceeding the annual target of 68%. At the grassroots level, the Women's Union of Tam Thanh ward has built 25 "Green House" models and 25 women's volunteer groups for environmental protection, making a significant contribution to building a civilized urban area.

Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/phu-nu-xu-lang-doi-moi-tu-duy-lam-kinh-te-danh-thuc-tai-nguyen-ban-dia-238251214172051907.htm