The effectiveness of the "Household Visit Diary" model implemented by women in Quynh Luu district.
The "Household Visit Diary" model has been widely implemented by women's associations at all levels in Quynh Luu district and is proving to be very effective. With the goal of innovating the approach to grassroots engagement, on average, women's association officials at all levels visit about 10 households in villages and hamlets each quarter. This allows them to promptly understand the thoughts and aspirations of members and resolve difficulties and obstacles at the grassroots level.
Providing timely support to those in difficult circumstances.
Ms. Vu Thi Hang (born in 1980) in Hamlet 4, Quynh Doi Commune, is one of many members whose families have received direct visits from Women's Union officials to understand their circumstances and provide timely support when their families face difficulties.
That was the time when Ms. Hang's husband – the family's breadwinner – passed away suddenly, leaving behind his ailing wife and four young children. Losing her husband, Ms. Hang fell into a psychological crisis. After visiting her and understanding her situation, the women's association officials in Quynh Doi commune both encouraged her and helped her access loans from a job creation program to start an online business, and also gifted her a cow for farming. Ms. Hang's child was also simultaneously sponsored by the association through the "Godmother Connecting Love" program.
In a conversation with us, Ms. Hang shared: “When my husband passed away, I was overwhelmed with grief and despair. Because when he was alive, due to his poor health, I only stayed at home to take care of the children and do chores. So, when I lost my support system, I fell into depression for almost a year. Fortunately, I received care and support from the women's association officials in the commune and village, who helped me regain my spirits and strive to raise my children.”
Currently, the lives of Ms. Hang and her four children have stabilized. Her eldest child, 22 years old, is studying at Hanoi University of Agriculture, and her youngest is 8 years old. Whenever she faces difficulties, she receives timely encouragement and support from the women's association officials.
Another example is Ms. Hoang Thi Thuy from Hamlet 6. Despite having only 2/10 vision, she diligently went to Hanoi to learn a trade. In April 2024, after visiting her home and learning about her circumstances and her desire to borrow capital to expand her spa and hair salon, officials from the Women's Union of Quynh Doi District helped her secure a 50 million VND loan from the employment creation fund. Additionally, the Union also gifted Ms. Thuy a flock of breeding chickens to develop her poultry farming.
"Although my eyesight is poor, I receive so much light of love from my family and from women's associations at all levels. That is the motivation that helps me overcome my inferiority complex and strive for a better life," Thuy expressed.
During the exchange, Ms. Hoang Huong Thao, President of the Women's Union of Quynh Doi commune, said: "Through regular household visits, we not only understand the thoughts and aspirations of our members to innovate our activities, but also provide timely support to vulnerable women and those in difficult circumstances."
In some cases, association officials not only visit and help once, but also visit regularly and record in a logbook the progress in overcoming difficulties. For example, in the case of Ms. Truong Thi Lien in Hamlet 1, in addition to coordinating with the Social Policy Bank to support her with a 50 million VND loan to expand her livestock farm, the Women's Union officials of Quynh Doi commune also introduced Ms. Lien to work as a factory worker in a garment factory in Quynh Thanh commune to increase her income.
Through household visits, the Women's Union of Quynh Doi commune also sponsored 15 orphaned children in difficult circumstances with a total amount of 65 million VND; supported the construction of 2 "Houses of Love," provided livestock, and donated hundreds of gifts to women and children in difficult circumstances... with a total value of 385 million VND.
Not only in Quynh Doi commune, but also for women's association officials at all levels in Quynh Luu district, regularly visiting members' households has become a well-established habit. Each visit is recorded in a shared diary for tracking purposes.
According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Hai, President of the Women's Union of Quynh Bang commune, women account for nearly 50% of the total population in the area, of which 28 households are classified as poor, representing 0.013%.
Regular household visits not only help association officials understand the thoughts and aspirations of women, stay close to the grassroots, and thus find solutions to support poor households in improving their lives, but also create a close and friendly bond between association officials and members.
During the first half of its term, the Women's Union of Quynh Bang commune donated livelihood models (livestock) to 5 poor households and 6 near-poor households; coordinated with organizations to assist 6 women-owned businesses, supported 4 women with start-up loans totaling 120 million VND; and supported 3 "Houses of Love" worth 50-100 million VND for 3 disadvantaged member households.
In addition, the Association collaborated with Phuc Mau Leather Shoe Company (Quynh Minh commune), Dai Thanh Garment Company, and Trong Phuc Garment Company (Quynh Thanh commune) to introduce and advise nearly 100 women on finding stable jobs with incomes ranging from 6 to 7.5 million VND per month.
In particular, through household visits, the Quỳnh Bảng Women's Union has promptly provided support to victims of domestic violence and abuse. For example, Ms. Nguyen Thi L. (born in 1987), who was frequently beaten by her husband, was connected by union officials with Hagar (a non-governmental organization that supports people affected by psychological trauma from human trafficking, violence, and abuse) so that she could stay in a community shelter for 6 months and receive psychological counseling.
For example, when a 10th-grade student in the area was sexually assaulted by a neighbor, the Women's Association of the commune requested the District Women's Union to connect with the Hagar Organization to help the student recover emotionally.
Another case of a disadvantaged child being adopted by the Women's Union officials of Quynh Bang commune is Dau Thi Thanh Tr. (born in 2016) from Van Ly hamlet. Tr.'s mother suffers from mental illness, and she was born without knowing who her father is. She has been cared for by her elderly maternal grandparents since birth.
Speaking to us, Mr. Dau Van Nhiem (born in 1946), Tr.'s maternal grandfather, said: "I have seven children, and Tr.'s mother is the youngest, but she developed a mental illness at the age of 22. When Tr. was 10 days old, her mother had a psychotic episode and tried to harm her baby, but her grandparents discovered and prevented it in time. Afterwards, Tr.'s mother was taken to Dong Nai for treatment by her older brother, and Tr. stayed with her grandparents. Fortunately, she received care and attention from the women in the women's association, who became her godchildren. Our family is very grateful."
According to officials from the Women's Union of Quynh Luu district: The work of providing psychological support and counseling to women and children whose legal rights and interests have been violated is always a priority for all levels of the Women's Union. Currently, 100% of communes and towns have surveyed and compiled lists of victims of domestic violence to monitor and provide timely support; at the same time, they have built a team of collaborators to support and provide psychological counseling to victims of violence.
During visits to households at various levels, the association also discovered 20 women who were victims of domestic violence. Of these, 4 received direct assistance from the association, and 16 were connected through the association's collaboration with Hagar International, receiving support in various forms such as: counseling victims on prevention skills when violence occurs, support for livelihood models, essential supplies, and health check-ups.
In addition, through the "Godmother - Connecting with Love" program, the entire district has so far sponsored 286 orphaned children, helping them to have the motivation to strive in life.
Replicate successful models and practices.
Not only do they understand the circumstances and provide timely support to members in need, but through the "Household Visit Diary," women's associations at all levels in Quynh Luu district have also discovered and replicated many exemplary models at the grassroots level, such as the "Five No's, Three Cleanliness" family model, "Shade Tree Row," "Green Fence," "Clean House, Beautiful Garden," "Adjacent Model Garden," "Safe Village for Women and Children," "Green House," and "Household Waste Sorting and Treatment"...
In Quynh Hung commune, with 12 hamlets and 12,000 inhabitants, the area is large and the number of members is high, requiring the commune's Women's Union officials to visit households regularly. Through this, they can both understand the situation and needs of the members, and promote and encourage participation in the general movement.
In early 2023, the Women's Union of Quynh Hung commune combined household visits with campaigns to encourage families to place waste sorting bins in a project called "Waste-Free Road" at the women's union branches in hamlets 2, 3, 4, 6, and 9. Initially, residents were not entirely in agreement, but the commune and hamlet Women's Union officials persevered, going door-to-door. After eight months of implementation, 815 households participated, contributing a total of 161,000,000 VND.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Chuyen, President of the Women's Union of Quynh Hung commune, said: "Through household visits, when we discover difficulties and obstacles, we report them to the commune's Party committee and government to seek advice and support. Only after receiving their agreement do we proceed, or we seek direct guidance from the District Women's Union to resolve the issues."
For example, when the People's Committee of the commune implemented Project No. 01/DA-UBND dated January 5, 2023, of the People's Committee of the district on "Propagating and mobilizing members, women, and people to participate in collecting, sorting, and processing household waste in the period 2023-2026," in addition to promoting propaganda and raising awareness among members, women, and people in all 12 branches through various forms, the officials of the Women's Union of Quynh Hung commune directly visited households, surveyed families with large gardens and many people, and encouraged them to install waste treatment bins at the source using microbial enzymes.
Simultaneously, the commune's People's Committee provided additional funding and received support and approval from higher authorities. As a result, 35 households implemented the model of on-site waste treatment bins using probiotics, with a total cost of over 11 million VND for purchasing the bins. By the end of July 2024, an additional 30 households had registered to participate.
“To improve the effectiveness of the model, we advised on opening a training course at the commune hall with over 60 participants. At the same time, we surveyed and researched the improvement of two-compartment trash bins with water taps to enhance practical convenience. In the near future, we will install 15 more waste treatment bins using microbial enzymes in Hamlet 11,” said Ms. Nguyen Thi Chuyen.
Visiting the family of Ms. Ho Thi Dieu (71 years old) in Hamlet 6, Quynh Hung Commune - one of the pioneering households in implementing the waste treatment model at source, we witnessed firsthand, besides the trash cans placed right at the entrance of the alley for various types of packaging, in a garden spanning over 1,000 square meters.2Mrs. Dieu's family, who cultivate many types of fruit trees, also has a waste treatment bin using microbial enzymes. "Before we had the waste treatment bin at the source, with our large garden, my family used to dig holes and bury the waste. Now, with the training provided by officials on treating waste with microbial enzymes in the village, we can use it to fertilize the plants, ensuring environmental hygiene while also promoting the healthy growth of the fruit trees and ornamental plants in the garden," Mrs. Dieu explained.
It is known that, through the implementation of models such as "Garbage-Free Roads," "Waste Treatment at Source," "Turning Waste into Love," and "A Mother's Environment, a Child's Happiness," the waste collection rate in Quynh Hung commune has reached 98%.
In many areas of Quynh Luu district, exemplary models, good practices, and positive images at the grassroots level are not only updated by women's associations at all levels in their "Household Visit Diaries" but are also directly shared and disseminated by association officials on social media channels (Facebook, Zalo), thereby creating a widespread and vibrant emulation movement.
Ms. Ho Thi Thuy Hang, Vice President of the Women's Union of Quynh Luu district, said: "The household visit activity helps union officials promptly grasp and detect emerging issues at the grassroots level; if it is within their authority, they handle it directly, and if it is not within their authority, they propose that relevant levels and sectors provide support in resolving it."
In addition, the Women's Union of Quynh Luu district also linked the "Household Visit Diary" model with the inspection of entrusted loan activities of the Policy Bank, savings and loan groups, and the effectiveness of loan utilization by women.
Through this initiative, the District Women's Union has supported 65 members in need of starting businesses; and 65 women have established new enterprises. Local branches have supported 236 female members and entrepreneurs with 873 million VND from the union's fund and savings at the branch level.
From 2021 to the present, women's association officials at all levels in Quynh Luu district have visited 3,905 households. Following these visits, appropriate forms of assistance have been provided to disadvantaged and vulnerable women, such as: donating livelihood models and means of livelihood, providing "shelters of love," offering interest-free loans, introducing vocational training, and referring them to jobs... with the motto "no member should be left behind."
