Golden hearts at the Charity Women Entrepreneurs Club in Chau Thanh district Posted: Aug 21,2012
Charity Women Entrepreneurs Club giving rice for poor households
Vietnamese women entrepreneurs are making increasingly important contributions to the socio-economic development of the country. To the effects of the global financial crisis and economic recession, women entrepreneurs have been dynamic and creative in overcoming challenges and developing their businesses sustainably.
Women-owned enterprises (accounting for 25%) and women-headed household businesses (more than 3 million) have created tens of thousands of jobs. Not only successful in production and business, they are also active in social and humanity activities. Below is an example of women entrepreneurs doing social work in Soc Trang province.
The Charity Women Entrepreneurs Club in Chau Thanh district was established in September 2009 as a subordinate of the Chau Thanh District Women’s Union. Ms. Pham Thi Dao, Vice President of the District WU recalled the first days before the club establishment when a few women were doing charity work on their own, helping the poor or supporting pagoda to do so. She then had an idea of gathering them into a club. At the beginning, the club had only 5 members. After nearly 3 years, it has more than 30 members, who are women owners of enterprises of different sizes in Chau Thanh town. Though doing different jobs, they all share an aspiration to do somethingto help unfortunate people in society. Joing the club, they can do social work and enjoy themselves at the same time, thus the club membership keeps increasing.
When receiving an application for help or learning about needy cases through communal Women’s Unions or the Humanity Program broadcast on the Provincial Radio and TV, the club management board quickly reacts and considers appropriate support for each case. Having opeared for just 3 years, the club has had inmpressive achievements. The members have supported nearly 20 million VND for 01 poor child to have heart surgery, supported to rebuild 03 houses burnt down byfire, visited and handed gifts to 235 cases of fatal illness and death in needy families, provided scholarships for many poor students, etc. In addition, the club also supports food catering for poor patients at the district GeneralHospital and provides monthly allowance for 22 single elderly in Phuoc Lam Pagoda, My Xuyen district. In particular, for Tet holiday every year, the club gives rice for 500 poor households. So far, the club has supported over 1,000 cases.
Joinning the women entrepreneurs, we witnessed the joy they had brought to the unlucky ones. They e.g. came to visit Huynh Minh Thien – a child with inborn heart disease from a poor family – and gave her 18 million VND. Thanks to that she is being treated in Ho Chi Minh city. Ms. Thach Thi Ho,the Club Chairwoman, expressed: "When joining this club, all the club members desire to share with the unfortunate lives. We feel really warm and happy when seeing their happy smiles and shining eyes believing in people's kindness".
After busy working days and taking care of the family, the club meetings are rare moments for them to get together and share difficulties in life. And they are committedto continue helping the people in need.
