In a small house nestled on the edge of Yen Tu mountain, the hands that have been roasted for years, thinking that they can no longer do anything, are diligently shaping cotton animals and cute little puppets.
Each hook not only connects the Yearbook, but also re-connects trust.
That is Linh's Crochet - a handmade weaving workshop without a large signboard, no no noisy machinery, but contains many stories. The story of the less fortunate, and of a young woman who chooses to make a living by being kind.
Born in 1993, raised right in Yen Tu, Ms. Do Thuy Linh understands more than anyone the life of women in mountainous areas. Many of them are Dao Thanh Y ethnic women, old, weak, no longer strong enough to work in the fields, and have difficulty finding a suitable job.
That made her speechless. She once wondered: Is there any job that is light enough for them to do? Is there any way for them to still have income and still find themselves useful, even if they are just slow-witted? And then, from the same concerns of that time, in 2020, Linh decided to open Linh's Crochet handmade weaving workshop.
At first, the workshop was just a small corner, a few coil coils, and a few sets of hook needles. But what Linh brought with her was not only a business idea, but a very clear wish: to create a sustainable, humane economic model, where disadvantaged women can rely on to stand firm in life.
Work in Linh's Crochet is divided into many small parts: some hookers, some cotton cotton, some accessories, some decoration. Each stage is simple, gentle, and does not require effort. With just a few sessions of getting to know each other, everyone can do their part.
It is that "having no choice" that opens the door for those who seem to have no more job opportunities.
Among them was Ms. Ly Thi Hai, a Dao ethnic woman with limited mobility since childhood. Her house in Dong Chanh village was already very quiet. Before, her days passed quietly, just wandering around the house. Since being attached to Linh's Crochet, that house has had a new rhythm of life. Ms. Hai regularly completes the assigned wool and cotton products, carefully as if she is putting part of her heart into them.
With a job right at home, I feel much more comfortable in my spirit, Ms. Hai shared. I still find myself useful, still doing something meaningful.
For her, and many other women, Linh's Crochet is not only a place to bring in income, but also a valuable spiritual motivation.
To date, the workshop has attracted nearly 40 workers, more than 90% of whom are Dao ethnic women and disadvantaged women. Each person has their own situation, a story, but when sitting together, they work together in the same rhythm, laugh together, and share very simple joys.
What surprises many people is that in just a production space of about 60m2, Linh's Crochet has created tens of thousands of handmade products. From small, pretty stuffed animals to puppets wearing ao dai, holding the national flag - all are made entirely by hand, meticulously down to every detail. On average, the workshop produces about 1,500 products per month, consumed in many tourist destinations such as Hoi An, Nha Trang and exported to some countries.
Thanks to that, each worker has a stable income of 4-5 million VND/month. For many people, this is not a large amount of money, but for women in mountainous areas, especially those who used to have no income, it is a change.
In order for craftsmen - mostly disadvantaged women - to be able to make diverse products that meet market requirements, Ms. Linh is always the first model maker. She patiently recorded each recipe, divided it into steps, and adjusted it to suit each person's abilities. Some people are shy, some have poor eyesight, some are slow-witted and each person is guided in their own way.
That work not only requires meticulousness, but also requires deep sympathy. Linh understands that, for his craftsmen, the value does not lie in speed or output, but in the feeling of respect and trust. That has created a working environment that is both effective and warm.
Not stopping at the workshop, every month, Linh and the main craftsmen also organize knitting instructions classes at the Dong Chanh Village Cultural House. Those classes are not just for vocational training. That is where women meet, chat, share their joys, where those who have closed themselves gradually open their hearts and become more confident when entering the community.
Talking about Linh's Crochet, Ms. Do Thuy Linh shared that the thing that makes her happiest is not the quantity of products sold or the revenue achieved. What she cherishes most is the change in women who were self-conscious and absorbed by circumstances. When they have jobs, income, they laugh more, talk more and dare to step out of their own tight space.
That is what makes her feel that the Anh model is truly meaningful.
In the midst of modern life, where everything is often measured by profit, Linh's Crochet chose a slower, more humane path.
In the sacred land of Yen Tu, from simple wool threads, a beautiful story about the human economy is still being woven - enduring, quiet and full of emotion.
