(HBO) – Upon arriving in Lac Village – located in Chieng Chau, in the Mai Chau district of Hoa Binh province – you will understand why the locals here have come to call Vi Thi Thuan, a Thai ethnic minority woman, "Co Tien”, or "Fairy” in English.
"Fairy” Vi Thi Thuan looks at the products made by a local
worker at the Thuan Hoa Social Protection Centre.
Her matronly name comes from her
dedication to caring for others and her ability to weave magic out of a
difficult situation.
Thuan decided to build a house for people
with disabilities in a bid that would not only allow them to make a living, but
also preserve the traditional art of brocade weaving. As such, the Thuan Hoa
Social Protection Centre was established on May 1, 2018.
Over the past decade, hundreds of women
with disabilities and those from difficult backgrounds have come to the centre,
which offers them stable employment and the opportunity to earn a living for
themselves.
The centre currently accommodates 35
ethnic minority women, including 11 people with disabilities, who are provided with
jobs and a stable income ranging from 2.5 to 4 million VND per month.
It was very challenging at the beginning
as this craft is difficult even for able-bodied people to master; for people
with disabilities, it can be a thousand times more difficult, Thuan recalled.
"I myself had no experience, only my courage
and enthusiasm, and so there were many times where I did not know what to do
first, and what to do later,” she said. "Fortunately, all the members here live
together in harmony, like the name of the centre "Thuan Hoa”. Thus, when
confronted with any challenges, we always encourage each other to overcome them
together.”
After many ups and downs, in 2016, the
centre was able to build a new workshop and separate rooms for 20 of the women living
here, as well as a showroom, two stilt houses for homestay services, and a
large yard for camping and the display of Thai ethnic minority items.
"Many difficulties remain ahead of us, but
we are still dedicated to crafting and selling traditional handicrafts that
reflect the cultural beauty of Thai people,” Thuan added.
In addition, she plans to develop a large
garden full of local flowers from the northwestern region in the future and
create a cultural space of Thai ethnic community in Mai Chau to serve tourism.
Thuan was awarded the title of brocade
weaving artisan by the Vietnam Craft Village Association three years in a row
from 2010 to 2013, and honoured by the President of the Vietnam Women’s Union
as an example of an excellent businesswoman from an ethnic minority group.
The People’s Committee of Lac Son district held a ceremony on April 28 to receive the provincial relic certificate for the ancient rock carving site at Suoi Co stream, located in My Thanh commune.
A special music show titled "The country is in the fullness of joy” has been held at Hoa Binh Square in Hoa Binh city in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South and national reunification (April 30, 1975–2025).
The People's Committee of Lo Son commune, Tan Lac district, has organised the local annual traditional stream fishing festival on April 19 - 20.
As a land deeply intertwined with human history and Vietnam’s millennia-long journey of nation-building and defence, Hoa Binh is often revered for its epic tales and legends.
Residents of Hoa Binh boast a rich cultural identity, reflected in their unique language, traditional attire, customs, and folk melodies – described as "sweet as honey, clear as a mountain stream.”
Lac Son district’s Vu ban town held the 2025 Truong Kha temple festival on April 12–13 (the 15th–16th days of the third lunar month). Since its revival in 2019, the festival has been organised every three years, preserving valuable intangible heritage while meeting the community’s cultural and spiritual needs.
