Socialist Republic of Vietnam

BAC GIANG – Overcoming poverty and challenges posed by life, the women from a rural commune of Bac Giang northern province have laboured to prosper from family farming.

A case in point is Nguyen Thi Nhien, 43, from Tu Mai Commune of Yen Dung District, who now owns a modern house with all amenities, and has her two children studying in universities.

Nhien married a war invalid, who had lost an eye, an arm and a leg, in 1982. She was then staying in a bamboo-roof house, farming a plot of land given by their parents. "At the age of 20, I volunteered to live with a war invalid. Life was very hard because our parents were poor, and not in a position to help us," she said.

Life became more complicated as they had two children within three years. She now had to take care of the husband, children, work in the field, and do extra jobs to support the family.

Taking note of the dire situation, the commune’s authorities helped her build a cement house and allocated nine sao of farming land (one sao equals to 360sq.m) to the family.

Adept at farming, she soon learnt from the experiences of other farmers and carefully selected categories of rice seeds suitable to the soil and applied advanced cultivation methods. She also grew vegetables.

Within years, she had an annual output of three to four tonnes of rice, maize and potato, enough to support her family and the education of two children. From a VND1 million loan from the commune’s Blind Association in 1996, she bought a cow, and now has a herd of 10. "There were times when there was no food to eat. But that has changed,’’ she says.

Strength of character

When another woman Than Thi Nhu, lost her husband and two children from food-poisoning ten years ago, life had come to a standstill.

Overcoming grief, Nhu married a soldier and Agent Orange victim with five children. The children were also suffering from the aftereffects of AO. "Initially, I was sad and worried. I was not sure if I could bring up the children well," she said.

With financial assistance from the commune’s Women’s Association, they started a farm breeding pigs. After two years, with savings from the farm, they started cultivating rice and aquaculture. At present, the whole family lives happily in a large house and the health of the children is better thanks to Nhu.

In recognition, the provincial Women’s Association presented a certificate of merit "Example in overcoming difficulty" to her. "Though I can’t have a baby, I am happy now. I have been able to help my husband and take care of the children," she said.

A hand up

Nguyen Thi Mo, Chairwoman of the Women’s Association of Tru Huu Commune, is what one would call a successful administrator. Other than helping local women financially with loans, she has also taught them to apply advanced farming technologies.

From 1996, the association has assisted 400 women borrow VND510 million from the Agriculture and Rural Development Bank. The members of the association have also raised VND35 million for supporting poor families to improve production.

And even as she helps others improve their quality of life, she is also a successful farming story. Since her husband works far away from home, she does farming and breeds fish and cattle at her home. From these activities she makes an annual profit of VND50 million. "I make an annual profit of VND50 million from cultivating land, and breeding fish and cattle. Besides, I also produce special varieties of seeds which are sold across the district," she said.

A ‘healthy’ business

Back in the 1970s, Anh Tuyen returned to her village of Ngoc Chau in Cao Thuong Township with 36 wounds she suffered from the war. That of course didn’t deter a determined Tuyen.

"I graduated from the provincial Medical School in 1970s and volunteered to work for the medical team in Phu Yen central province during the war. After my injuries healed, I continued to study at the Ha Noi-based Medical University," she said.

Graduating from the university, she worked at the Tan Yen District Health Centre for ten years, becoming the director of the centre four years ago. Along with the job at the health centre, she also began a fruit-tree farm on four ha of land in 2002.

"It was a bare hill then, I focused on improving the soil and selecting good-quality fruit tree seeds to grow," she said. 

Viet Nam News, March 7, 2005