Men doing their fair share of housework

The story of Mr. Le Thanh Tam, My Long commune, Cau Ngang district, Tra Vinh province

By attending the "Gender Equality" training organized by Oxfam at the cooperative, I have been doing housework, sharing the workload, exchanging and discussing with my wife about important family matters.

Before the training, I rarely did household chores such as washing clothes, cooking, and cleaning the house. These tasks are all done by my wife and our children. I also rarely discuss with my wife about production and our family spending, I would ask her sometimes, but I mostly decide by myself.

The training on “Gender Equality” has showed me that husband and wife have equal responsibility in their family activities. Housework seems simple, but it takes a lot of time and effort when my wife is the only one who is in charge of it. I started helping her with tasks like washing clothes and cooking. It was awkward at first, but then it became normal. In the family business, I am now consulting with my wife to come to the final decision. Recently, both of us decided to switch from pond shrimp farming to high-tech shrimp farming because of higher efficiency.

I realised that my wife and children are become happier when I change my behaviour. The family atmosphere is warmer, the job operates smoother and more efficient. It is true that "as long as husband and wife are on the same page, together they could splash dry the East Sea".

“Strengthening group cohesion in the clam value chain through collective action and gender equality” within the framework of cooperation with the project “Sustainable and comprehensive development of the Clam and Bamboo Value Chain in Vietnam” (SCBV) funded by the European Union. The project is jointly implemented by Oxfam and the Center for International Cooperation in Aquaculture and Fisheries Sustainability (ICAFIS) and stakeholders from November 2019 to January 2021.