Women confidently start businesses and take control of their lives

With diligent hands and a will to dare to think and dare to do, many women in Tan Hiep commune (An Giang province) are turning their startup ideas into life-changing stories, gradually taking control of their lives right in their homeland.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong introduces pork roll products. Photo: THU OANH

Starting a business from bird's nest

Ms. Dang Thi Kieu Quyen (38 years old), residing in Dong Hung hamlet, Tan Hiep commune, is one of the typical women who successfully started a business from the bird's nest processing profession. After 15 years of working as an accountant, at the age of 36, Ms. Quyen decided to quit her job to open Ngoc Lam bird's nest facility, taking advantage of raw materials from her family's bird's nest house.

In 2023, Ms. Quyen started her business when her child was only 1 year old. While taking care of her child, she took the opportunity to learn how to process bird's nest online, then invested nearly 20 million VND to buy equipment. Initially, her main product was raw bird's nest, priced from 1.2 - 1.5 million VND/100g depending on the type. After that, she expanded to refined bird's nest products (nests with feathers removed, shaped and dried) priced from 2.5 - 3.2 million VND/100g depending on the quality. She invested more than 60 million VND to buy a sterilization steamer to process pre-cooked bird's nest.

The machine has a capacity of steaming 500 jars/day, the product's shelf life is up to 6 months. The pre-steamed bird's nest product with red apples, cordyceps, wolfberries, lotus seeds, ginger... is packed in a glass jar with clear measurements, each jar contains 9g of fresh bird's nest, retail price 45,000 VND/jar, is popular with customers.

Currently, Ms. Quyen's production facility creates regular jobs for 15 workers, with an average income of 5 million VND/month/person. In addition to retailing via social networks, she also expanded her wholesale distribution channel to Ho Chi Minh City and businesses and agents in many places. Currently, the facility's revenue is about 300 million VND/month, with profits maintained at 15%.

“When I first started my business, I encountered many difficulties from production experience to finding outlets. I worked hard to visit neighboring establishments to learn and research online. Now I am expanding the workshop, dividing areas for each processing stage, and preparing to participate in the OCOP program,” Ms. Quyen shared.

Preserving the traditional flavor of pork roll

A typical member of the Women's Union of Tan Hiep commune is Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong - owner of Thai Huong hamlet in Thanh Tay hamlet, Tan Hiep commune. Coming from a farming family, Ms. Huong got into the hamlet making business out of passion and desire to create quality products for family meals. "I learned how to make hamlet in my hometown of Thai Binh and set up a business in Tan Hiep," Ms. Huong said.

12 years ago, with a loan of 20 million VND from the trust fund of the Women's Union of Thanh Dong commune (before the merger), Ms. Huong invested in buying machinery to start her business. Currently, the facility supplies the market with 30 - 100 kg of sausage/day, including products: pork sausage, raw pork sausage, pate. Ms. Huong shared: "Thai Huong pork sausage is made entirely from fresh pork, lean thighs, without using borax or preservatives. The facility always focuses on meat quality and traditional flavor".

As a long-time customer of Thai Huong hamlet, Ms. Phan Thi Truc Phuong, residing in Hamlet 9, Tan Hiep Commune, commented: "Thai Huong hamlet is delicious, naturally chewy and crispy, just right, no additives or borax." Currently, Ms. Huong's facility creates stable jobs for 3 workers with an income of 6 million VND/month/person.

In addition, she also opened 2 more branches in Rach Gia ward and Long Xuyen ward managed by her children. Products are distributed through markets, cooking services, sales collaborators and is completing procedures to register to participate in the OCOP program.

The Tan Hiep Commune Women's Union said that the production models of women in the area not only help develop the family economy of members but also create more jobs for local female workers. In the near future, the union will continue to coordinate with other sectors to support women to register to participate in the OCOP program, training in hygiene, food safety, management skills and market access.

THU OANH

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/phu-nu-tu-tin-khoi-nghiep-lam-chu-cuoc-song-a464489.html