Stand up for yourself
Ms. Hoai Sen (32 years old, Son Loc commune, Bo Trach district, Quang Binh province), used to have a happy family and a gentle life. But unfortunately, in 2019, the husband suddenly passed away abroad. The sudden incident caused her to completely collapse, the smile was no longer on the face of the small and young girl.
During that time, she received a lot of attention and encouragement from relatives, friends, and agencies and units. She herself also realized that she had to stand up on her own to take care of her family, children and parents. Therefore, Ms. Sen decided to change.
At that time, she participated in a startup training project so she decided to turn her "fishing rod" into a specific job.
One year after the incident, taking advantage of the existing pig barn that her husband left behind, Ms. Sen started building a business by raising 5 pigs and researching and learning from her predecessors.
Having failed several times in a row due to lack of technical knowledge, at the beginning of 2021, she decided to find startup instructors to continue studying. After researching the herbal bran formula to use as animal feed, Hoai Sen began applying it on a pilot basis with 50 pigs.
Plants with herbal properties such as: bear bile, giant tea, ginger, galangal, black turmeric, lemongrass, garlic... are mixed with main food sources: rice bran, corn, rice, dried beans, flour Lotus seeds and protein from fresh sea fish fermented through IMO yeast... all are produced into pressed bran. This is special food for pigs, always made and used during the day, pigs raised for over 6 months can give meat.
In 2023, a batch of 600 pigs fed with herbal bran will grow and be sold. She took the brand name "Hoai Sen Herbal Pork" with the criteria of clean and safe meat. Clean pork products have been well received by the market, from selling directly to consumers, providing ingredients for school kitchens and food stores in the province.
Affirming the brand
When everything gradually stabilized, she established Tam Sen Safe Agricultural Cooperative to build brand trust with customers as well as a launching pad for product development.
The cooperative provides the market with fresh pork products, fully packaged and labeled. In mid-2023, Ms. Sen and her cooperative members decided to expand further by launching processed pork products such as: spring rolls, rolls, sausages, ham, shaken pork rinds (butter, salt, cheese). )…
Currently, the cooperative has 8 members and 20 regular workers, most of whom are women, with an average income of about 7 million/person/month. In addition, there are seasonal workers.
Hoai Sen also regularly attends training courses and participates in startup competitions to further develop his own abilities, as well as learn from experiences from his predecessors. Her story became an inspirational example for other local women members in overcoming difficulties and asserting their own value.
Currently, each year the cooperative exports about 1,200 commercial pigs with a weight of 100 to 110 kg/head. After 5 years, she replaced her husband as the breadwinner of the family, she was able to be happier, the smile returned to her face.
“Up to now, I have created a model of livestock farming combined with natural farming, helping people have jobs and providing delicious, safe food to the market. Hopefully in the next path, Tam Sen Herbal Pig will come to many school kitchens, restaurants, supermarkets, bringing clean and safe products to wise consumers" - Ms. Hoai Sen shared.
