Dedicated to sisters

• Rural women's hearts
• Garment manufacturing improves women's lives
• Rural women are active in the economy.

Every day, Ms. Thach Kim Lien, 64 years old, Ward 5, pushes a cart of boiled cassava and sweet potatoes to sell on every street to earn a living; her younger sister, Ms. Thach Thi Hoa, 62 years old, collects scrap metal to sell for extra income. Ms. Lien and her sisters depend on each other to live in a house supported by benefactors, but it is now dilapidated. Understanding the family's difficulties, Ms. Vo Thi Thu Thuy, President of the Women's Union of Ward 5, and her sisters regularly support them with necessities. Earlier this year, through a volunteer group of women in the ward, Ms. Thuy mobilized to give Ms. Lien and Ms. Hoa health insurance cards with a validity of 12 months.

Ms. Thuy gave the health insurance card she had mobilized to Ms. Thach Kim Lien, 64 years old, Ward 5, Ca Mau City.

Ms. Lien shared: “I have diabetes. Before, I didn’t have health insurance, so many times when I went to the doctor, I didn’t have enough money to buy medicine. I only went to the doctor once every 3 or 4 months, and my illness didn’t get better. When I received my health insurance card, I was very happy. With the card, I go to the doctor regularly, and my illness is much better. I am very grateful to Ms. Thuy and the other doctors.”

For over 6 years, Ms. Thuy has maintained the activity of supporting the donation of health insurance cards to women in difficult circumstances. Thanks to this support, many single women who are unable to work have continuously participated in health insurance, reducing the cost of medical treatment.

Ms. Thuy said: “From 2019 until now, my sisters and I have supported the purchase of health insurance for women in difficult circumstances, especially elderly and single women. Previously, the price of health insurance was low, so we were able to buy it for 7 or 8 women. This year, we were able to buy it for 4 women.”

Currently, the cost of buying health insurance is not small compared to the difficult circumstances of many families. Therefore, mobilizing funds to donate health insurance cards is very practical, not only providing material support but also spiritual encouragement so that many women can receive health care when they are sick or ill. In addition to mobilizing support for situations in the area, Ms. Thuy also helps cases in Hoa Thanh and Hoa Tan communes... The Dong Tam Club of the Ward Women's Union has carried out many meaningful activities to improve and help disadvantaged women ease some of the burden of life.

Ms. Thuy confided: “On special days like Tet, the 15th day of the 7th lunar month... my sisters and I always mobilize donors to have gifts to send to sisters in difficult circumstances. From the companionship of donors, we feel warm, every day we try harder to help sisters in difficulty receive more help.”

A typical active union official is Ms. Mai Thi Lanh, currently a member of the Executive Committee of the Women's Union of Tan Thanh Commune. Over the years, with her enthusiasm and tireless dedication, Ms. Lanh has actively participated in union movements and made important contributions to the development of activities for women. Ms. Lanh is always a pioneer in movements, especially in the dissemination of knowledge about reproductive health care, disease prevention, as well as self-protection skills for women and children.

Ms. Lanh (middle) actively participates in health training sessions to improve her communication skills. (Photo: Provided by Tan Thanh Commune Women).

Ms. Lanh shared: “Because I used to work in the health sector, in meetings and associations, I always share knowledge with members. Up to now, in the locality, women have done a better job of taking care of their health. Women have a good grasp of issues such as the benefits of regular health check-ups, proper care for the sick, nutrition during pregnancy, nutrition for adolescents...”.

Ms. Lanh regularly updates her family's knowledge of nutrition and health. She goes online, reads books and newspapers, and records useful information, or current issues, and things to avoid, to disseminate to women in the commune. Ms. Lanh and the Women's Union of Tan Thanh commune mobilize funds, support women in difficult circumstances with health insurance cards; implement a program to provide iron tablets for pregnant women... Thanks to her active and dedicated contributions, the movement to care for women's health in Tan Thanh commune is growing stronger and stronger. Many women have changed their perceptions and improved their quality of life.

Ms. Lanh happily shared: “The happiest thing is that people understand and change their behavior in taking care of themselves and their families. In the past, when children had diarrhea, their family members would not give them water, leading to exhaustion and dehydration. Now, there is a better way to take care of them. Or mothers who did not go for check-ups or screening for diseases before now know how to screen them on a regular basis. Women are also more concerned about nutrition. For many years, there have been no cases of underweight children in the commune. In the past, when we gave them nutritious porridge, no one wanted to take it, we had to go to each house, but now women take the initiative to come and receive it. My colleagues and I are very happy.”

Life still has many difficult circumstances, especially for women and children. Thanks to the enthusiasm and kind hearts of women in the women's association such as Ms. Vo Thi Thu Thuy and Ms. Mai Thi Lanh, poor women have more support and know how to take better care of their health./.

Lam Khanh

Source: https://baocamau.vn/tan-tam-vi-chi-em-a38644.html