Lao Bao township shares the border with Laos’ Savannakhet province and is located at the starting point of the East-West Economic Corridor connecting Vietnam with other ASEAN countries. It’s an advantage for the local people to provide transport and trading services with Laos. Nguyen Thi Thu Hien, Vice Chairwoman of the Lao Bao Women’s Union, said: “Lao Bao township has Khe Tang, Khe Da, and Khe Tuc hamlets inhabited mainly by Van Kieu people. Their lives have improved considerably but several difficulties remain. Ethnic women have tried to develop production and get involved in trading instead of only doing farm work as in the past. The women in Khe Tang hamlet have formed pulled-rickshaw teams to transport goods to earn stable extra-incomes.”

They have established pulled-rickshaw team to transport goods between Vietnam and Laos (dantri.com.vn)

Ho Thi Nep used to do only farm work to feed her family. Since she joined a pull-rickshaw transportation team, she has earned extra incomes and her life has been easier. Nep said: “In the past I worked hard on the fields far from my house. I worked as a hired labor pulling a rickshaw since 2006. Then I bought a rickshaw with my savings. Some women in my team have 3 to 4 rickshaws.”

Ho Thi Ta Doa has supplied foodstuff such as seafood, meat, rice, and vegetable to Laos for 5 years. At the beginning she received orders to transport goods to Laos. Since she had regular clients, she has diversified varieties and quantity of goods. Doa said: “My family was very poor. We tilled the fields but wild boars often damaged the crops. I was ill and had no money to buy medicine. I decided to buy vegetable in Vietnam to sell in Laos and work as a hired labor. When I had more capital, I bought fish in Lao Bao to sell in Laos. Now I trade all profitable goods.”

They have earned stable extra-income from this job.

Doa receives orders by phone and hires pulled-rickshaws to deliver to her customers. Doa again: “I was very poor. My parents died since I was small. My relatives brought me up. My husband is also poor. We had to work hard to raise some pigs, cows, and goats.”

Khe Da hamlet has about 55 households of the Van Kieu. They no longer burn forests for cultivation but growing wet rice and cash crops. Encouraging Van Kieu people, especially women, to change their habits was not an easy task. Nguyen Thi Thu Hien, Vice Head of the Lao Bao Women’s Union, said: “Besides rallying Van Kieu women to get involved in economic activities, we have encouraged them to be open to social activities. They have learned social knowledge, law, and how to raise children. In the past they had no contact with society and were resigned to their fates. They depended on their husbands. Now they know about their rights and obligations and can do business.”

The Lao Bao Women’s Union has instructed Van Kieu women to plant trees, develop production, manage their family economy, and practice thrift as Uncle Ho’s teaching.