In the early days of spring, following a recommendation from the Women’s Union of Xuan Nha commune, we visited the Xuan Nha Clean Bamboo Shoot Production and Processing Cooperative in Tun hamlet. The cooperative specialises in producing and selling products such as shredded sour fermented dried bamboo shoots, dried bamboo shoot slices and salted sour bamboo shoots. Inside the workshop, more than 10 women were busy processing and packaging the products to meet orders.

The cooperative was founded in 2020 by Lo Thi Nguyen together with eight Women’s Union member households in Tun hamlet. With support from the Australian Government-funded project on enhancing economic empowerment for ethnic minority women through development of the clean bamboo shoot value chain, the cooperative invested in a 1,000-sq.m bamboo shoot seedling nursery, a 500-sq.m workshop and a 100-sq.m solar drying house, along with packaging machines and processing tables for dried, fermented and salted bamboo shoots. Total investment exceeded 600 million VND (22,865 USD).

Each year, the cooperative purchases between 150 and 200 tonnes of fresh Bat Do bamboo shoots, creating seasonal jobs for 40–50 workers with monthly incomes of 4–5 million VND per person. It has also formed production linkages with 337 households cultivating more than 200 hectares of Bat Do bamboo. The model helps raise the value of local products while opening up a sustainable economic development path for Women’s Union members in the area.

Meanwhile, the Women’s Union chapter in To Mua commune’s Na Cha hamlet has for years maintained a rotating savings and lending model that allows poorer members to access capital. Under the scheme, each member contributes 200,000 VND a month, enabling those in need to borrow between 30 million VND and 70 million VND to develop their livelihoods. The chapter has so far built up a fund of more than 700 million VND, encouraging many members to expand production, raise incomes and gradually stabilise their lives.

The Van Ho area has more than 10,000 Women’s Union members, over 95% of whom are from ethnic minority communities. They are organised into 115 chapters across four communes - Van Ho, To Mua, Song Khua and Xuan Nha.

In response to emulation movements, local Women’s Union chapters have stepped up outreach campaigns encouraging members to shift crop and livestock structures and introduce high-yield, high-quality varieties into production. They have also entrusted lending through the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies (VBSP)’s Van Ho transaction office, enabling more than 3,200 member households to access loans with total outstanding credit exceeding 122 billion VND.

At the same time, the chapters have coordinated with specialised agencies to organise training sessions and guide members in applying science and technology in production, helping raise productivity and product quality.

Alongside economic support, Women’s Union chapters have focused on building prosperous, progressive and happy families. In 2025, 100% of women’s chapters across the four communes encouraged members to register for campaigns promoting the “Five No’s, Three Clean’s” family model and the “Cultural Family” movement, with at least 70% of households meeting the standards.

Various communications activities have also been organised to disseminate knowledge and laws related to gender and gender equality, using diverse and practical formats. The initiatives help women enhance their dynamism, self-reliance and equal role in family life.

Through gender equality initiatives, ethnic minority women in the Van Ho area are gradually changing their mindsets and ways of working, becoming more proactive and confident in participating in social activities and economic development, while steadily strengthening their role and standing in both family and society.

Ha Thi Sang, Chairwoman of the Women’s Union of Xuan Nha commune

“Through the emulation movement ‘Women Helping Each Other Develop the Economy and Reduce Poverty’ and campaigns such as ‘Building the Vietnamese Women of the New Era’, the Women’s Union in Van Ho has entrusted lending through the Van Ho branch of the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies in Van Ho, providing loans to 318 households to develop production and business activities, with total outstanding credit of 22.3 billion VND.

Since 2021, the union has also enabled 171 women from poor households to access preferential loans and participate in livelihood models such as goat raising and breeding cattle. As a result, 31 households have escaped poverty or near-poverty.”

Lo Thi Nguyen, Director of the Xuan Nha Clean Bamboo Shoot Production and Processing Cooperative

“Since the cooperative was established and received financial and technical support, we have boldly invested in upgrading workshops and expanding raw-material areas. This has helped raise incomes for members and create jobs for many women in the hamlet, giving them additional sources of income and greater confidence in their lives.”

Tang Thi Du, Hua Tat hamlet, Van Ho commune

“In the past, local Mong women rarely took part in social activities, focusing mainly on household work and farming. After receiving outreach and training on Women’s Union activities, we have become more proactive in livelihood development, taking care of our families and raising our children. Women here are now more confident in expressing their opinions and participating in local movements.”