From Recovery to Resilience: Empowering 1,500 Female Farmers Post-COVID

On July 20, 2024, the closing workshop of the project "Restoring and enhancing resilient livelihoods after the Covid-19 pandemic for poor and near poor female farmers in disadvantaged communes in Thua Thien Hue province" took place in Thua Thien Hue, with the participation of over 100 participants including female farmers, representatives from the Red Cross at all levels, government agencies, and the New Zealand Ambassador to Vietnam.

The project "Restoring and enhancing resilient livelihoods after the Covid-19 pandemic for poor and near poor female farmers in disadvantaged communes in Thua Thien Hue province" was implemented in six communes: Phu Gia, Phu Dien, Giang Hai, Vinh Hung, Phong Chuong, Dien Huong across three districts: Phu Vang, Phu Loc, and Phong Dien, with a budget of over 4.94 billion VND. The project was funded by the New Zealand Government and implemented by the Red Cross Society of Thua Thien Hue province in collaboration with Oxfam in Vietnam, from September 1, 2023, to July 31, 2024.

During and after the COVID-19 pandemic, women and girls were the hardest hit. They lack support in terms of resources, have limited technical capacity for their livelihoods, and shoulder many responsibilities, including taking care of their families. "In this project, we focused on supporting poor and near-poor women farmers to not only overcome the immediate effects of the pandemic, but also enhance their ability to adapt and be resilient in crises," said Vu Thi Quynh Hoa, National Director of Oxfam in Vietnam, at the workshop.

After almost one year, the project has effectively supported 1,511 poor and near-poor women farmers, of whom 221 are people with disabilities, helping them and their families to recover and develop sustainable livelihoods. The women farmers participating in the project attended 30 agricultural technical training courses tailored to their needs. 1,000 women farmers received direct cash assistance of 3.2 million VND/person to restore their livelihoods. This assistance was provided in accordance with a family livelihood recovery plan which was appraised by the project for implementation feasibility. 

At the workshop, many farmers shared their touching stories, being a participant in the project. Truong Thi Mau, from Giang Hai Commune, Phu Loc District, shared her profound gratitude. At 52, she is the head of a poor household. Five years ago, tragedy struck when she lost her husband, leaving her alone to raise their three young children. The Covid-19 pandemic brought further turmoil, severely affecting her small trading business and threatening her family's financial stability.

Mau engaged in a technical training session on pig farming organized by the project, which also provided her with initial capital. She managed to gather additional funds to invest in three piglets. She is hopeful about making a profit of 4.2 million VND after 3-4 months: "I look forward to selling this batch to support my children's education in the upcoming school year, and to reinvest in our next breeding cycle."

"Since my husband's death, the challenge of raising three children alone has been immense. However, the support from this project and the compassionate involvement of the provincial Red Cross and local authorities have significantly eased our burdens," Mau shared with emotion.

Le Thi Minh, 57, is a single woman with a lifelong disability, residing with her nearly-100-year-old mother in Luong Vien Village, Vinh Hung Commune, Phu Loc District. Minh undertakes small-scale chicken farming, which she finds challenging due to her lack of technical skills, resulting in meager profits.

Despite her mobility issues, Minh has been a diligent participant in every training session offered by the project, driven by her desire to improve: "I would attend more classes if there is one, the more I go (to these classes) the more I learn." With the financial support from the project, she invested in 60 chickens, hoping to generate around 7 million VND in the coming months.

"The financial aid of 3.2 million VND provided by the project is a lifeline, amounting to four to five times the usual monthly subsidy. Every bit helps, as earning millions on my own is daunting—having just enough to get by is good enough," Minh shared.

Speaking at the workshop, Caroline Rachel Beresford, the Ambassador of New Zealand to Vietnam, expressed her belief that enhancing capacity and timely financial support have helped the farmers not only recover but also improve their livelihood activities. "I also believe that the project’s achievements will be sustainable thanks to the participation and ownership of the local authorities and implementing partners, and very importantly from the farmers themselves," Caroline stated.

Delegates also shared experiences and lessons from the project to enhance the readiness to respond to future crisis situations.