Old gourds that were originally just for seedling, washing dishes or drying in the garden, now through the skillful hands of Ms. Xa Thi Nga, Xeo village, Cao Son commune, Phu Tho province, have become sophisticated handicrafts, both carrying artistic charm and being unique household items.
Not only bringing stable income, her model also creates sustainable jobs for many women in the locality.
Born and raised in the corn hills and cassava fields, Ms. Nga understands the hardships of women here.
My childhood was associated with corn and cassava fields, working hard all year round but still lacking in every way. Many mothers in the village have to work as workers far away, their children are sent to grandparents, looking at their children growing up without their parents' arms, my heart is very sad," she shared.
It was that concern that made her nurture the intention to create jobs right in her hometown.
The opportunity came when she participated in training classes and visited local economic models. Once, looking at the old watermelon fruits drying in the garden, she came up with the idea of using watermelon fiber to make handicrafts.
In 2024, the model "Establishing a local loofah value chain" was born, marking the beginning of her startup journey.
That journey was not easy at all. Ms. Nga taught herself from planting, caring for gourds, harvesting, processing gourd fiber to shaping products.
Luffa fiber is very difficult, the fibers are rough, porous, uneven, and easily torn. Each stage must be slow and meticulous, if rushed, it will all be ruined. I remember the early days, working and worrying, but just thinking about the sisters in the village having jobs gave me motivation," she confided.
Currently, her workshop develops 4 main product groups: art (luffa paintings, decorative paintings), body care (shower pads, back brushes, facial cleaner pads), household appliances (dishes pads, pots and pan brushes, steaming mats, cup mats), fashion accessories (hats, handbags, decorations).
Each product has its own mark, handcrafted by Muong women, becoming "unique". Luffa silk paintings created by her daughter also become favorite gifts of tourists.
The model not only satisfies passion, but also brings clear economic value, with an income of tens of millions of VND per month.
It is known that the workshop currently creates full-time jobs for 5 women with a salary of 4-6 million VND/month, along with dozens of seasonal workers of about 300,000 VND/day.
In addition, Ms. Nga also consumes luffa fiber for 8 households, priced at 5,000-6,000 VND/fruit, helping people increase income.
According to Ms. Ha Thi Khanh, Chairwoman of the Farmers' Association of Cao Son commune, Ms. Nga's model is a bright spot in socio-economics, both helping ethnic minority women have jobs, increase income, and promote highland culture to tourists.
I hope each product is not just an item but also tells a story about the Cao Son mountains, about the skillful hands of Muong women. Looking at the sisters happily working, I see that all the hardship and patience are worth it," Ms. Nga shared, her eyes shining with pride.
From simple gourds, with creativity and perseverance, Ms. Xa Thi Nga has proven that highland women can completely start a business right in their hometown, both enriching themselves and spreading cultural values and sustainable livelihoods for the community.
