Women in Nghe An's border commune support each other in community tourism

The "3 in 1" economic method of women in Hanh Dich has been implemented for over a year now. They have established labor exchange groups to help each other with agricultural production; assigned tasks in raising livestock, weaving fabrics to provide raw materials and souvenirs for homestays; and the women also take on the role of tour guides and actors performing folk songs and dances imbued with national identity to serve tourist groups who come to visit and experience.

Join hands to do community tourism

Huoi Dan stream flows through Hanh Dich commune and has many beautiful waterfalls. Photo: CSCC

The first days of summer are considered the "golden" time for tourism in the villages next to the waterfall complex in the border commune of Hanh Dich. This place is located entirely in the Pu Hoat Nature Reserve, the lush green space of the mountains and forests always has an irresistible attraction for those who love the purity of wild nature and the rich cultural identity of the ethnic minorities in the highlands.

Nestled along the Huoi Dan stream with many beautiful waterfalls, the villages of the border commune of Hanh Dich peacefully live in harmony with the nature of the mountains and forests. With 199 households, located along the stream and 7-storey waterfall, the ancient Thai village of Long Thang of Hanh Dich commune has many advantages to attract tourists to visit, enjoy the products, and experience the customs and cultural identity of the Thai ethnic group.

For generations, women have been almost exclusively associated with the fields and weaving looms. However, in the past two years, there have been changes for the people, especially for women. That is the dynamism in thinking and working, the households here, with the support of the State, have boldly invested in building 6 homestay facilities operating in groups.

Long Thang Women's Union promotes tourism products and provides tourism services to tourist groups. Photo: CSCC

Having mastered "doing tourism", before each time welcoming tourists, the sisters return to the "headquarters" to discuss and assign tasks. Late in the morning of February 24, having just returned from the rice fields, the sisters met to assign tasks in preparing rice wine, raising chickens and pigs, and taking care of the clean vegetable garden to serve the group of nearly 40 tourists who will come to Long Thang village to experience homestay services on March 25-26.

Ms. Lo Thi Tien further explained that the "headquarters" that the sisters set up at Lam Khang homestay is also the first homestay established in Hanh Dich. After that, Ms. Tien's family also built Ha Van Thuy homestay at the end of 2022. Her family's homestay is one of 6 tourist service points right at the foot of the 7-storey waterfall, forming a homestay service "company" in Long Thang village. The way it operates is that all 6 households work together from providing food to performing arts and acting as tour guides to help tourists visit the waterfall and visit the village.

“When a group of guests arrives, we will focus on serving them food and rest at the main location of the “company”, Lam Khang homestay. If there are many guests and the accommodation demand of Lam Khang is not enough, we will distribute them to nearby homestays,” added Ms. Lo Thi Mai.

The labor exchange teams of the Hanh Dich Women's Association regularly meet and assign tasks before welcoming delegations. Photo: Hoai Thu

“Each sister who participates in the service will receive a salary of 200,000 - 300,000 VND depending on the size of the group. In addition, the “company” will pay families who are assigned to provide vegetables, chicken, pork or rice wine according to the products,” added Ms. Lo Thi Tien, a member of the group of sisters helping each other.

The leader of Hanh Dich Commune People's Committee said that in 2022, the number of tourists visiting Hanh Dich reached about 6,000, especially during the holidays of April 30 - May 1, reaching more than 3,000. By helping each other in economic activities, women in Long Thang village as well as other villages in Hanh Dich are increasingly united in labor and production.

Voluntary work exchange group

Entering March, the rice fields in Hanh Dich are lush green. From the joy of the development of community tourism services, the fields and gardens of the people have also become a contributing factor to the "new profession" of tourism of the people along the Huoi Dan River.

Women in Long Thang village, Hanh Dich commune help each other weed rice in the spring-summer crop of 2023. Photo: Hoai Thu

Here, after a long time being affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, along with the "boost" in developing community tourism, there have been many clear changes. That is the dynamism and self-awareness in helping each other in economic activities, livestock production and crop cultivation of associations and unions.

Following the "3 in 1" sisters of Long Thang village to the fields to help each other weed peanuts and rice in the spring-summer season, Ms. Lo Thi Huong said that for a long time, the sisters often helped each other to do business in a "rolling" way, each family would send 1 person to help each household finish their work, then move on to help the next family. "Today, the sisters focused on helping the families in Long Thang village weed rice and peanuts. Each field is finished. Focusing on doing it together will be faster and more fun" - Ms. Huong said.

Not only do women exchange labor to help each other in production, but this has also become an effective way for people in this border commune, helping to effectively complete many production models. For example, the model of growing melons in Vinh Tien village brings in an income of 3 - 4 million VND/ha; the model of growing taro and peanuts in Long Thang village has brought in a stable income for the past 2 years.

Thanks to the "rolling" method, many agricultural production models in Hanh Dich exceeded the set targets in terms of productivity and output. Photo: Hoai Thu

Hanh Dich people grow 2 rice crops/year with more than 280 hectares, yielding an average of 5.5 tons/ha, an increase of 5.25% compared to 2021. Lotus peanut output also exceeded the plan by 5.9%, reaching 22.5 tons, with a yield of 2.5 tons/ha.

Women not only directly grow crops and raise livestock, but also participate in tourism services and undertake performing arts activities on holidays and New Year and serve tourists. Thanks to this dynamic way of working, households in Long Thang village are gradually becoming more confident in their economic development and creating joy and excitement in their spiritual life, contributing to building a more peaceful and prosperous border village.