Love the island in your own way.

Born and raised on Cu Lao Cham Island and sharing a common desire to preserve and develop local culture, Le Thi Bich Cong (born in 1992) and Nguyen Thi Hong Thuy (born in 1994, both residing in Tan Hiep commune) founded a community livelihood model called Moc Cham - a place that revives the heritage and knowledge of the island commune in a very special way.

Foreign tourists participate in the workshop "Preserving the Yarn - Preserving the Craft". Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

True to its name, Moc Cham, the community livelihood model of sisters Cong and Thuy is not extravagant or luxurious, but rather focuses on traditional values, local knowledge, and the heritage of the region, offering visitors authentic and intimate experiences.

With the motto "Nurturing from nature - Spreading local values," Ms. Cong focuses on organizing experiential tours linked to local culture and history, nature conservation efforts; and workshops on traditional crafts and folk knowledge. The goal is to nurture emotions, appreciation for nature, and cultural connection through authentic experiences.

According to Ms. Cong, one of the most inspiring stories of Moc Cham is the journey of preserving and reviving the traditional craft of weaving hammocks from paulownia wood, a craft deeply rooted in the memories of generations of people on the island. A highlight of this is the workshop "Preserving the Yarn - Preserving the Craft".

Participating in the workshop, visitors hear stories about the craft of weaving hammocks from local artisans, and get to try their hand at spinning yarn and weaving handicrafts from the mahogany fibers. In addition, they can listen to traditional folk songs and melodies about love for their homeland, the lives of fishermen, and the hardships they endured while staying on the island. To date, Moc Cham has organized more than 10 "Preserving the Yarn - Preserving the Craft" workshops, with over 100 domestic and international visitors participating.

Faced with the reality that paulownia hammocks are no longer common in modern life, Ms. Cong sought to innovate and diversify products woven from paulownia fiber to reach a wider audience, such as handbags, water baskets, bracelets, wall clocks, etc., so that this craft not only survives but also thrives and integrates into contemporary life.

Refresh and diversify woven products made from paulownia fiber to reach a wider audience. Photo: Provided by the company.

Besides preserving traditional crafts, Ms. Cong also develops products from local, environmentally friendly ingredients, ensuring health safety to enhance the value and build the brand of local products. Among these, the forest leaf tea stands out, made from herbs harvested from nature. This has traditionally been a daily beverage for generations in the island commune, but through the hands of young people, it has been transformed into a unique tourism product, bringing economic value to the local people.

In addition, she also develops health care products from natural herbs, aiming to use only local ingredients, avoiding waste, and contributing to building a local circular economy model.

Moc Cham is more than just a brand; it represents the dedication and efforts of the island's people for their homeland. With a focus on sustainable development, linked to conservation and local livelihoods, Ms. Cong and her colleagues are gradually building and registering their tea bags as an OCOP (One Commune One Product) product. Simultaneously, they are expanding women-led livelihood models; connecting with schools, tourism companies, and educational organizations to implement community-based tourism experiences in Cu Lao Cham, contributing to making it a unique destination on the tourism map.

Source: https://baodanang.vn/yeu-dao-theo-cach-rieng-3318115.html