Nearly 60 years old, still determined to mortgage the land title to start a business, turning trash into money

In 2011, a garbage truck accident caused the entire Hoa Minh ward (Lien Chieu district, Da Nang city) to stagnate and stink for 4 consecutive days. Ms. Trinh Thi Hong - a resident of Hoa Minh ward - thought about how to turn that garbage into money. In addition to handling the garbage, she also wanted to help the people around her have jobs to cover their daily lives.

"At first, when I brought the trash home to study, everyone said I was crazy, even my husband. I and the Da Nang Women's Union shared stories of what I had done with everyone, but it was difficult to gain their trust. Besides, I have no expertise so I can't do anything" - Ms. Hong shared with a reporter from Lao Dong Newspaper.

In 2012, thanks to her positive contributions to community work, Ms. Hong was invited by a non- governmental organization to the Philippines to share her experiences. It was during this trip that Ms. Hong heard a foreign expert talk about the model of processing organic waste into a cleaning solution. Eager to bring the knowledge she learned back to her home country, it took her 4 years of experimentation to come up with the final product.

During that process, thanks to a friend who cooperated with her for 6 years from 2010, Ms. Hong was able to produce enough products to sell to people. "I also begged my husband and children to mortgage the land use right certificate to get 500 million VND to pay this friend" - the woman in her 60s laughed as she recounted the process of starting her business.

After successfully testing, Ms. Hong and a few friends started a circular economy. Graphics: Phuong Anh — After successfully testing, Ms. Hong and a few friends started a circular economy . Graphics: Phuong Anh

With the desire to help the community, Ms. Hong has opened many training courses and transferred production technology to local people after successfully researching this environmentally friendly biological product line. The source of products collected from households will be processed by Ms. Hong to detoxify, disinfect, raise pH according to the standards of the Ministry of Health, foam, thicken, package and ship.

One of her products is dishwashing liquid made from vegetable and fruit peels. Besides protecting the environment, these products also help people save money with prices 1.5 - 9.5 times cheaper than similar products on the market.

"After successfully testing, I and some friends started a circular economy. I think not littering the environment with anything is the economy, that is development" - Ms. Hong shared.

In addition to contributing to the environment, the business also helps the community, such as more than 140 women in especially difficult circumstances, to have work at home with an income of 3 - 7 million VND/month.

Ms. Trinh Thi Hong is currently the Chairwoman of the Danang Women Entrepreneurship Club. She is also an advisor to many start-up models on the path of formation and development. At the age of U60, she continues her enthusiastic start-up journey and develops many more goals of environmentally friendly organic products.

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