Focus on training and vocational development for rural women

Vocational training and development for women, especially rural women, has been actively implemented by the Women's Union at all levels in the province in recent times. Thereby, creating conditions for women to gain vocational knowledge, find jobs, develop the family economy, increase income, and improve their lives.

Women's Union members of Hai Tay commune (Hai Hau) develop family economy from medicinal plant cultivation.

Despite having more than ten years of experience in building the VAC model, Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong, My Thuan commune (Nam Dinh city) is still very active in participating in training courses on cultivation and animal husbandry organized by the Women's Union of the commune in coordination with other units. According to Ms. Hong: "Experience in animal husbandry is very valuable, however, many new diseases are currently emerging. If we do not update our knowledge on disease prevention and control as well as scientific ways to care for livestock and poultry, it will be difficult for farm owners like us to maintain the model sustainably. Therefore, in addition to self-study and research through mass media, I also regularly participate in training courses on technology transfer in production and animal husbandry organized by the Women's Union of the commune. These classes are really useful for us rural women." In 2024, thanks to the application of many new farming methods, Ms. Hong's family's VAC farm yielded nearly 1.5 times more than the previous year, with an income of over 200 million VND after deducting expenses.

Identifying vocational training and job creation for rural female workers as an important task, every year, the Provincial Women's Union has directed all levels of the Union to propagate and mobilize female workers to participate in vocational training; directed grassroots Unions to survey the vocational training needs of female workers; coordinated with agencies to promote propaganda on labor and employment for women, especially women in rural areas, remote areas to access information on jobs and vocational training. In 2024, the Provincial Women's Union at all levels coordinated and linked with sectors, enterprises, production and business establishments to open dozens of vocational training classes: industrial sewing, livestock and poultry farming, embroidery, hand weaving, knitting... attracting over 10,000 workers, of which nearly 90% are women. Through vocational training classes, students have access to new scientific and technical knowledge applied to production and animal husbandry, master measures to prevent and avoid diseases for livestock and poultry, and how to organize reasonable economic models, thereby developing production and business more effectively. The Provincial Women's Union also signed a coordination program with the Provincial Employment Service Center on providing job counseling and referrals for female workers in 2024; organizing a mobile job fair associated with the "Green Market - No Cash" in Vu Ban district, attracting nearly 300 rural female workers to participate.

In order to create more job opportunities for rural women, the Women's Union at all levels also coordinated with functional agencies to establish many cooperative models (HTX), women's groups linking to develop production such as: Women's groups linking to produce high-quality rice on large-scale fields in Giao Ha commune (Giao Thuy); sedge production in Dong Thinh commune, aquaculture and clean vegetables in Quy Nhat town (Nghia Hung); safe vegetable production in Xuan Ninh commune (Xuan Truong)...; cooperatives: Binh Minh agricultural production and service business, Nam Dien commune (Nghia Hung); Handicrafts in Truc Thanh commune (Truc Ninh), Long Hai flowers and vegetables, Nam Cuong commune (Nam Truc); Hai Dang aquaculture and fishing, Con town (Hai Hau)... From 2024 to present, the Provincial Women's Union has coordinated with the Provincial Cooperative Union to organize 10 training conferences in 9 districts and cities on the project to establish 6 cooperatives managed by women, attracting 1,500 participants. Along with that, the Union at all levels organized activities to support and improve the capacity of collective economic development and cooperatives for 300 women who are business owners, cooperative managers, and household heads. Through the activities of association groups and cooperative groups, cooperatives have contributed to introducing, promoting, and connecting production according to the value chain, improving the competitiveness of products in the market, creating jobs and stable income for female workers in rural areas.

To support and encourage rural women to seek job opportunities, boldly start a business, and develop the family economy, the Women's Union at all levels has also promoted the implementation of Project 939 on supporting women to start a business. In 2024, the Provincial Women's Union launched the competitions: "Nam Dinh Women Start Creative and Green Transformation", "Searching for Innovative Startup Talents in Thanh Nam", attracting 40 participating projects, including many projects of women in rural areas. The Ngoc Tra Ecological Medicinal Herbs Cooperative project of Ms. Do Thi Gam, Hai Tay Commune (Hai Hau) won the Encouragement Prize in the Northern Regional Competition organized by the Central Committee of the Vietnam Women's Union. Every year, the Provincial Women's Union also organizes Women's Startup Day, which is actively responded to by female members. At the 2024 Women's Startup Day, the Provincial Women's Union commended 20/30 typical startup projects and ideas; Organize a Fair connecting products of women's businesses, women's startups, OCOP products, and traditional local products; organize the Forum "The Power of Balance with Women Entrepreneurs", "Green Market - No Cash" in 6/9 districts, display and connect booths of businesses, cooperatives with OCOP products, traditional products, etc.

In parallel with vocational training, the Women's Union at all levels also focuses on exploiting capital sources for women to borrow for economic development. Up to now, the Women's Union at all levels in the province has stood up to guarantee and receive trust from banking channels with a total outstanding loan of over 3.3 trillion VND for 190,479 households borrowing at 3,471 savings and loan groups. To support women, especially rural women in difficult circumstances, to borrow capital at preferential interest rates or without interest, the Women's Union at all levels has actively promoted and mobilized members to participate in saving. In 2024, 100% of the Women's Union bases maintained and effectively implemented savings activities at groups and groups, attracting 231,363 members to participate, saving over 545 billion VND, supporting 106,458 women to borrow for economic development. Thanks to the support activities of the Women's Union at all levels, many rural women have boldly risen up to become rich, become businesswomen, owners of production workshops, cooperatives, etc., creating jobs for many other female workers. Every year, dozens of women who are good at production and business at the grassroots level are honored and rewarded by the Women's Union at all levels.

Promoting vocational training and creating jobs for rural women has made an important contribution to helping women escape poverty, rise up to become rich legitimately, and at the same time create opportunities for women to improve their position in the family and society. In the coming time, the Provincial Women's Union will promote propaganda and training in new occupations, meeting market demand, suitable for female workers; encourage women to actively learn and create jobs; continue to support capital and develop the learned occupations for members; effectively build and maintain cooperative models and linkage groups to create jobs for rural women; and widely implement Project 939 on supporting women to start businesses.

Article and photos: Hoa Quyen

Source: https://baonamdinh.vn/kinh-te/202503/chu-trong-dao-tao-phat-trien-nghecho-phu-nu-nong-thon-19a1ec1/