Young teacher starts her career from sedge, earning 30 billion VND/year

Creativity from craft

Born and raised in a sedge-growing village with a history of hundreds of years (Quang Thien Commune, Kim Son District, Ninh Binh), Ms. Tran Thuy Nhi has always been interested in the products made from sedge by local people. Therefore, after graduating from the Central University of Art Education and working as a music teacher, she still cherished the dream of starting a business from sedge.

Ms. Tran Thuy Nhi with products made from sedge. PHOTO: NVCC

In 2015, after getting married, she and her husband started a business in their hometown by establishing a company specializing in the production of handicrafts from sedge. "Based on the desire to preserve and promote traditional craft villages, to get rich on our homeland, and to create more jobs for local people, we always thought about creating traditional sedge products," Nhi shared.

Realizing that if this job continues to follow the same path as other production facilities, it will be difficult to compete; therefore, in 2018, her company decided to change its production and business direction, focusing on research, innovation, and launching new exclusive products. "On the foundation built from the traditional craft of our hometown, we determined to produce unique, strange, and creative products to meet the needs of customers. Taking advantage of the available local labor and materials, we develop products to a new level; train skills, guide people to follow a new direction more carefully, meticulously, and creatively," said Ms. Nhi.

No longer just rough sedge bags or traditional products, she has researched and designed sophisticated products made from sedge, suitable for domestic and foreign market needs. These are fashion and interior decoration products such as: sedge bags, water hyacinth bags, hats, handbags, mirror frames, photo frames, water hyacinth tables and chairs, etc. Together with the artisans of the craft village, she has brought in a part of machinery, skillfully combined with handcrafting, to create products from natural materials.

Sharing about this creative journey, Ms. Nhi said that as a young person working in the art field, she is always creative, bringing customers more meticulous, artistic, sophisticated products and designs that constantly keep up with trends. These products have helped the company achieve certain successes, affirming itself in the domestic and international markets. From 2020 to present, her company Vina Handicrafts has developed with a growth rate of over 50% per year, with diverse designs, constantly keeping up with domestic and international trends. Total annual revenue reaches about 30 billion VND; budget contribution is 1.5 billion VND, average annual profit reaches nearly 300 million VND.

Ms. Tran Thuy Nhi (middle) instructs local people on how to make products from sedge. PHOTO: NVCC

The company has created jobs for 85 permanent workers at the factory, all of whom are locals, with an income of 8-20 million VND/month. At the same time, the company has also created additional income for thousands of households, not only in the district but also in neighboring districts and provinces such as Nam Dinh, Thanh Hoa...

Bringing Vietnamese sedge to the world

Not only creating jobs for people, especially rural women, helping to improve their lives and family economy, the company's products are all natural materials that help protect the environment and avoid harmful waste. In particular, the creation of diverse designs, mixing many types of materials in their own way, applying high technology, according to market demand has helped products from the hometown sedge village reach many countries around the world. "The harvesting and processing of raw materials also does not require much cost, helping to reduce product costs, so the products are highly appreciated for their aesthetic value because of the sophistication and diversity of the goods. Our products have a stable consumer market abroad," Ms. Nhi proudly said.

Ms. Nhi's company has created jobs for rural women, helping them improve their lives. PHOTO: NVCC

Determining the direction of the company is to create unique products, so the creation of new designs is a vital factor, deciding a lot on the existence and development of the company; therefore, she regularly updates the new fashion trends of the world, as well as new interior decoration styles to promptly launch suitable products. Vina Handicrafts Company has conquered and become a partner in demanding markets such as Europe, America, Japan, Korea, Arabia...

Sharing about the journey of bringing Vietnamese sedge to the world, Ms. Nhi said that the company has developed tens of thousands of product samples to introduce and introduce to international customers the traditional craft products of Kim Son village. Currently, the company always maintains the production of 30,000 - 40,000 products/month, mainly serving the foreign market.

The company's products are exported to many countries. PHOTO: NVCC

Not only is she good at business, the young teacher also always strives to be an excellent teacher at Hung Tien Primary School (Quang Thien Commune, Kim Son District, Ninh Binh), and is also an excellent Team Leader. With these successes, Ms. Nhi has received many certificates of merit from all levels and sectors, including a certificate of merit from the Chairman of Ninh Binh Provincial People's Committee in 2023 for her outstanding achievements in implementing the emulation movement "Advanced Youth Following Uncle Ho's Teachings"; a certificate of merit for being a third-prize teacher in the contest for teachers who are excellent Team Leaders of Ho Chi Minh Young Pioneers in Ninh Binh Province in 2022... At the end of 2024, she was awarded the Luong Dinh Cua Award by the Central Youth Union, for rural youth with outstanding achievements in agriculture.

Sharing her entrepreneurial journey with young people, Ms. Nhi said: "Be persistent, keep learning and believe in your own abilities. Every step we take today, no matter how small, contributes to building a foundation and creating future successes. Be confident and devote your youth to making our homeland stronger."

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/co-giao-tre-khoi-nghiep-tu-nghe-coi-doanh-thu-30-ti-dong-nam-185250405204238735.htm