Businesswoman with a compassionate heart

Overcome difficulties to succeed

Born into a poor family in Xuan Hai commune, Nghi Xuan district (Ha Tinh), her husband died early, Ms. Tran Thi Khanh Toan had to take her young children to the mountainous area of ​​Thung Khuoc, Quy Hop town (Nghe An) to make a living.

To raise her children, she had to do all kinds of jobs. With her old bicycle, she went from Quy Hop to the coastal areas of Dien Chau and Quynh Luu to buy fish, fish sauce, and salt. Then she cycled back to all the districts of the Western Nghe An to sell, her footprints were everywhere on the hot Lao windy roads.
Having saved a small amount of capital, in 1992, Ms. Tran Thi Khanh Toan participated in mineral exploitation activities but on a small scale. In 1996, she establishedToan Thang Company Limited, however, is still only exploited on a small, collective scale.

Modern Italian stone processing line at Toan Thang Company Limited. Photo: Van Truong

To exploit and process stone in a sustainable way, ensure labor safety, and not waste resources, it is necessary to invest in modern machinery lines. After many years of saving, she has focused on investing in technology. From mining to processing stone to achieve high quality products, Italian engineers have directed the design and construction synchronously. The company has invested in modern machinery for processing and production such as the GANGXO stone cutting line with Italian SIMEC technology including stone shavers, stone grinders, stone cutters... To diversify stone processing products, in 2018, the company established a new company called BVS.STONE 2 Co., Ltd. in Thung Khuoc (Quy Hop town), investing in modern machinery and equipment lines to process high-end handicraft stone.

Ms. Tran Thi Khanh Toan

The company also focuses on the environment, investing billions of dong to build 3 reservoirs over 700 m², including water reservoirs, wastewater reservoirs, and settling ponds. Installing a high-capacity water-spraying pump system right in the stone production areas, thus thoroughly treating stone dust pollution. Trees are planted around the quarry area. For solid waste (mainly crushed stone), the Company has a warehouse to collect, gather, and process according to the correct process. The enterprise also cooperated with Minh Hop commune to build a flood drainage system for some orange areas near the quarry.

Building a strong Nghe An Women Entrepreneurs Association

It is known that the Nghe An Women Entrepreneurs Association was established in 2018, with Ms. Tran Thi Khanh Toan as the President of the Association. She has contributed significantly to the development movement of the Nghe An Women Entrepreneurs Association to become stronger and stronger. Up to now, the Nghe An Women Entrepreneurs Association has 6 branches, with 3,843 members participating, including the branches of Thanh Vinh, Phuong Dong, Phuong Nam, Phuong Bac, Tay Nam and Tay Bac.

The Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee awarded Certificates of Merit to 5 individuals of the Nghe An Women Entrepreneurs Association for their achievements in the production and business movement (Ms. Tran Thi Khanh Toan is second from left). Photo: Pham Bang

The Association strengthens solidarity, promotes cultural, physical training and sports movements, organizes many meaningful activities to honor the business community operating in the area, creates cohesion and develops the Association's movement.

In recent years, facing the difficult situation of many businesses, Nghe An Women Entrepreneurs Association has proactively organized many thematic activities, economic information, policies, laws, provided directional forecasts, as well as seminars on corporate finance, etc. to help businesses have orientation in restructuring and find effective production and business solutions.
In addition, the association actively organizes social charity activities, sharing love for the development of the community. In 2018, the association supported books, clothes and rice to schools in the districts of Quy Hop, Tuong Duong, Con Cuong and Ky Son. In 2019, the association bought buffaloes and cows, built 6 charity houses for people in difficult circumstances in 6 districts.

In 2020, the association joined hands with the province to organize the program "Tet for the poor" with an amount of 1 billion VND given to the Oncology Hospital, Mental Hospital, Tuberculosis Hospital of the province and 18 district-level hospitals in the whole province; presented 1,000 gifts to poor households near the Cambodian border of Binh Phuoc province as called by the Central Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha; built and renovated the Martyrs' Cemetery of Quy Hop district with nearly 3 billion VND. In particular, the Nghe An Women's Business Association donated more than 500 million VND for the prevention and control of the Covid-19 epidemic, and supported the people of the Central region affected by floods with an amount of 350 million VND. The total value of contributions to charity work of the Women's Business Association in the past 3 years is more than 8.1 billion VND.

Ms. Tran Khanh Toan spoke at the program summarizing the activities of the Provincial Women's Business Association. Photo: Pham Bang

At the conference summarizing the activities of the Nghe An Women's Business Association in the period of 2018 - 2020, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duc Trung acknowledged and commended the achievements and contributions of the Provincial Women's Business Association in the past time. In particular, he highly appreciated the efforts of Ms. Tran Thi Khanh Toan - President of the Association in directing and connecting to promote the talents, intelligence, roles and contributions of female entrepreneurs and businesses for the socio-economic development of the locality; Protecting the legal and legitimate rights of female businesses...

Ms. Tran Thi Khanh Toan added: In the coming time, the association will continue to expand its membership and promote the establishment of female enterprises. Female enterprises must take the lead in finding new production and business models, applying new technology to create efficiency in production and business activities, and contribute more to society. Continue to do well in charity and social security work, join hands to help the poor, the disadvantaged, and ethnic minorities, so that no one is left behind.

Stone products of Toan Thang Company Limited meet export quality. Photo: Van Truong

Not only known as a "female general" of the Nghe An Women's Business Association, a good businesswoman in the mineral sector, Ms. Tran Thi Khanh Toan is also a philanthropist who regularly does charity work, participates in many programs and charity activities, and shares with many difficult circumstances in Nghe An and across the country. She is willing to spend billions of dong on charity activities silently for many years, through the "For the Poor" Fund and charity programs in localities. She always finds ways to comfort, encourage, and motivate those in difficult circumstances, helping them regain hope and optimism in life.

With her efforts, from 2010 to present, Ms. Tran Thi Khanh Toan - Director of Toan Thang Company Limited, Chairwoman of Nghe An Women Entrepreneurs Association has been awarded many noble Certificates of Merit by the Central Government, departments, branches and Nghe An province for her outstanding achievements in the production, business and volunteer movements. In 2020, she was awarded a Certificate of Merit by the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee for her achievements in the production and business movements...

Van Truong