‘I will go all the way’

I am a San Chay woman. My parents had 14 children, but only five survived. Life was very hard then. When we fell ill, there were no nearby hospitals, only long walks to the city. I once walked to Thai Nguyen while sick, and at other times to Dinh Hoa, just to reach a small clinic.

Those shaped my deep commitment to healing through local herbal medicine. My family was poor, and I completed only grade 7, but I was determined to follow the path of Traditional Medicine. I began studying and participating in related activities in 2009. In 2013, I was officially admitted to the commune’s Traditional Medicine Association. From then on, I began collecting medicinal leaves to help treat illnesses in my community.

The first four million dong

In the beginning, we decided to create products grounded in our locality. I focused on developing something that carried the identity of local medicinal plants while still meeting market needs. We created herbal pillows as a gentle alternative to massage. That was how the first herbal pillow was born.

For the first time, we joined a fair in the former Phu Luong district. There were four of us, and we brought 50 handmade herbal pillows. We wore our traditional ethnic costumes as we sold them, and many visitors stopped to ask questions. One foreign couple immediately bought ten pillows. At that time, each pillow cost 80,000 VND (about 3 USD), ten sold in one moment. The next day, other exhibitors, drawn by the fragrance, began buying as well. By the end of the two-day fair, we had sold all 50 pillows and earned four million VND (about 38 USD). It was an incredibly exhilarating feeling, far better than staying home to pick tea leaves.

When I returned, I told the group, “If we can develop this, we should continue.” I carefully screened the raw materials, they had to be safe, non‑toxic, and free of chemicals. Everyone agreed to move forward, and the group elected me as leader. That was when I truly realized it would not be easy. The responsibility was heavy.

Experimentation

In 2024, when we pursued OCOP certification, the cooperative received strong support from the commune, especially from Tuan, the former Party Secretary of Yen Lac. We achieved three‑star OCOP status.

Learning from the project officers made a tremendous difference. We gained practical knowledge. I asked many questions. For example, my holy basil plants had failed before. One expert advised digging square holes, planting the seedlings, and leaving grass around them. I followed his method and planted two plots for comparison. Now, the plants are growing very well.

Once we had fragrant pillows, we wanted the scent to last longer. When herbs were only sun‑dried and stuffed inside, the fragrance faded quickly. I had to experiment, trying many times on my own. We realized we needed a way to extract and preserve the scent. While others use steaming, we chose a method that fit our local conditions. This is a tea‑growing area, and we have tea‑roasting machines. Knowing how tea fragrance is preserved during roasting, we adapted that technique, replacing the herbs into the rotating tea‑roasting machine. That became our solution.

The more carefully the fragrance is extracted, the stronger and longer‑lasting it becomes. Our pillows can keep their scent for six months, even up to a year.

As a group, we were determined to improve our herbal blends. At first, the mixtures were unbalanced: too much holy basil, too little lemongrass, or the other way around. We committed ourselves to refining the formulas. There are eight of us, and all eight worked side by side to get it right. I clearly defined the proportions: for example, three kilograms of lemongrass, two kilograms of holy basil. Passionflower is very light, so we use only 100-200 grams. 

Passing ancestral knowledge to the younger generation

I want to train the younger generation and pass on my experience to members like Cuong, Ngoc, Trinh, and Mien. As I grow older, it is important that everyone in the cooperative can carry on the work.

The younger members have progressed very quickly. Cuong, Trinh, Hien, and Ha have all improved greatly. Before, they didn’t recognize many of the plants; now they know them well. I no longer need to go into the forest myself, I simply say what is needed, and the cooperative gathers everything on their own.

Progress comes through training and shared learning. Knowledge is passed on as we learn from one another and guide each other. Even when I am away, the cooperative runs smoothly. Once, when a delegation arrived unexpectedly while my husband and I were absent, the younger members handled everything perfectly. They are responsible and committed.

My dedication goes beyond Traditional Medicine. Through this work, I continue to promote my ethnic identity by teaching the Tac Xinh dance and Hat Vi singing. During summer breaks, I gather children to learn Tac Xinh. They are enthusiastic, and we encourage them with simple treats like candies or snacks.

I feel confident about the products we have developed and hope to combine them with community‑based tourism. Visitors could enjoy foot soaks, herbal baths, and steam therapies. When guests feel tired and seek Traditional Medicine care, our cooperative is ready to serve with foot‑soaking basins and herbal tools made from San Chay formulas.

In tourism, we maintain our own boundaries to preserve culture. Everyone has different preferences. If visitors want loud entertainment or singing parties, that is not what we offer. But if they want peaceful landscapes, to listen to Sang Co singing, or to watch the Tac Xinh dance, we can welcome them wholeheartedly. We will focus on identity and the culture of the San Chay people.

I sincerely hope the project team will continue supporting us. I still need guidance, like the step‑by‑step support Tuan once gave so we can do things properly and succeed.

I will continue for as long as my health allows. I am grateful to have joined this project and to develop products that truly align with my profession and my passion.