From nothing to millionaire in border area

Changing lives thanks to cassava

In early September 2025, Huong Hoa Cassava Starch Factory under SEPON GROUP organized a conference to honor good cassava growing households and a ceremony to admit members of the 100 million VND Club. From A Doi commune, Mr. Ho Van Phi (born in 1985) eagerly went to the factory to attend. Previously, when he saw people with enough food and property, Mr. Phi admired and envied them. Because, for him and his wife, taking care of their 5 children's education was a big challenge. The two of them never dared to dream of one day pocketing more than 100 million VND.

Everything changed since the day Mr. Phi and his wife experimented with growing cassava. Seeing that this plant was suitable for the soil and climate, and that there was a factory to buy it, they felt confident in expanding the model. The early drops of sweat brought the couple a bumper crop. In 2023, for the first time, Mr. Phi and his wife sold fresh cassava for more than 100 million VND.

“Receiving a large sum of money from the factory, I felt like I was flying. The joy doubled when I joined the 100 million club for good cassava growers,” Mr. Phi said.

Cassava has become the

Cassava has become the "key to escaping poverty" for many farming households in Lia area - Photo: QH

According to the Chairman of the Farmers' Association of A Doi Commune, Ngo Minh De, in addition to Mr. Phi's family, the whole commune currently has 23 other farming households participating in the 100 million Club of the Huong Hoa Cassava Starch Factory. They are shining examples for everyone to follow.

Mr. De added that currently, the entire A Doi commune has about 1,550 hectares of land growing cassava with 1,280 households directly producing. Every year, cassava growers in the commune supply the factory with about 27,540 tons of fresh cassava roots. “Currently, people no longer produce in a haphazard manner but know how to apply science and technology. The spirit of helping each other to develop among the people has also multiplied greatly,” Mr. De happily informed.

Not only A Doi commune, many farmers living in Lia route have also risen from cassava. Some people are constantly standing in the 100 million club for good cassava growers, for example, Mr. Ho A Co (born in 1979), residing in Tan Lap commune. Recalling the hard days, Mr. Co said that there was a time when he felt helpless with his business. Thanks to his affinity with cassava, his family has today.

Currently, Mr. Co's family's cassava growing area has reached 10 hectares. Following in his father's footsteps, his two eldest sons have also started growing cassava, thanks to which they have a spacious house. "My wife and I started from a low base, so we always worried that our children would have a hard time like we did. That worry is no longer there," Mr. Co confided.

Silent support

On the day of the conference to honor good cassava growers and the admission ceremony of 100 million VND Club members, Mr. Ho Xuan Hieu, Chairman of the Board of Directors of SEPON GROUP, traveled a long way from the lowlands to attend. Meeting millionaires in the border areas, memories of the time when he traveled to all the communes along the Lia River to encourage people to grow cassava flooded back to Mr. Hieu's mind. At that time, the people's lives here were very difficult. Many people worked hard but could not escape poverty. Therefore, some people said: "Rich or poor is a fate, even if you try, you cannot succeed." They were discouraged, neglected their fields, and indulged in alcohol.

Not letting that negative thinking take root, Mr. Hieu and other dedicated people have been tirelessly going to each village to encourage people to try growing cassava. Using his own prestige, he committed to supporting people with science and technology and promised to buy all the products. Not stopping there, Mr. Hieu also sought out reputable individuals who loved to work to be the "nucleus" for growing cassava in the village.

Not disappointing his expectations, later, many of them rose from hardship, becoming the first members of the 100 million club. The good news spread far and wide, more and more households volunteered to grow cassava, and gradually realized: "Rich or poor is not a matter of fate".

Good cassava growers with high income are honored and rewarded - Photo: Q.H

Good cassava growers with high income are honored and rewarded - Photo: QH

Coming to the communes along the Lia route today, it is not difficult to see millionaires in the border areas. The common point of many of them is that they rose from cassava. At the conference organized by the Huong Hoa Cassava Starch Factory recently, 33 new members were honored to join the 100 million Club, bringing the total number of members to 82. Not only enriching themselves, these members have been supporting many other households to change their fate. Because, one of the criteria to become a member of the Club is to support 10 households with revenue from selling fresh cassava to the Huong Hoa Cassava Starch Factory reaching over 50 million VND/year.

Up to now, the 100 million VND Club for good cassava growers, born from the idea of the Chairman of the Board of Directors of SEPON GROUP, Ho Xuan Hieu, has been established for 15 years. The birth of the Club is a memorable milestone, considered as the starting point for a "revolution" in the thinking of the Van Kieu and Pa Ko people in the Lia route. No longer resigned to poverty, now the local people are bolder and more active in production with strong belief. On the journey to reach out, the people always remember the merits of those who have opened the bright path for them.

Quang Hiep

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/kinh-te/202510/tay-trang-thanh-trieu-phu-san-vung-bien-3e54eba/