Since 2018, the Gia Lai Provincial Women’s Union has organized awareness campaigns on entrepreneurship for more than 55,800 women and conducted 4,444 training courses on technology transfer and vocational skills.
The annual “women start-up days” and creative idea competitions have become incubators for innovative business models, inspiring women to launch and expand enterprises.
To strengthen capacity building, the Union established a women’s start-up support unit, providing 43 training classes on applying science and technology to over 1,150 small and medium-sized female entrepreneurs, cooperative leaders, and business owners.
It also distributed 50 livelihood tools worth 250 million VND (approx. USD 9,800) to disadvantaged women, enabling them to pursue sustainable livelihoods.
One beneficiary, Nguyễn Thị Phương Thảo from Hoài Nhơn Bắc ward, shifted from rice cultivation to lotus farming on 1.2 hectares of rented land, supported by the Union’s technical and market linkage guidance. Her model now provides stable income and jobs for 10 local workers.
In partnership with the Central Women’s Union, Gia Lai’s provincial branch has organized seminars on e-commerce integration, “Gia Lai women’s digital technology day,” and trade fairs promoting hundreds of OCOP-certified products and local specialties.
Among the province’s standout entrepreneurs is Đoàn Thị Thúy, Director of Phước Hỷ Gia Lai Co., Ltd. in Biển Hồ commune.
Building on her family’s beekeeping legacy, she expanded operations to 500 bee colonies, established the CPA Trade-Service and Agriculture Cooperative, and developed an online sales network.
Her company now generates nearly 1 billion VND (approx. USD 39,000) in annual profit, employs over 30 seasonal and 7 regular workers, and holds seven 3-star OCOP certifications for its honey products.
The Women’s Union also serves as a crucial bridge for financial access. By mobilizing capital from the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies and the Vietnam Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, the Union has helped 115,837 members secure loans worth over 6.78 trillion VND (approx. USD 264 million).
For instance, Trần Thị Hoa from Canh Vinh commune used a 50 million VND (approx. USD 1,950) loan to cultivate hybrid acacia and launch a small plastic chair business, lifting her family out of poverty.
Complementing financial assistance, the “Practicing savings, helping each other escape sustainable poverty” campaign has mobilized 309 billion VND (approx. USD 12 million), supporting 224,874 women with low-interest loans and mutual assistance in farming and production.
Grassroots initiatives like those led by Lê Hà Duy Ái, Chairwoman of Ia Krái Commune Women’s Union, have provided livestock, seedlings, and fruit trees to poor families, helping five members escape poverty since 2020 and distributing 500 fruit trees to households in need.
Today, Gia Lai boasts 608 women-led economic models, clubs, and groups with over 11,000 members, creating stable jobs for more than 1,000 women, each earning 3–7 million VND (approx. USD 117–273) per month.
With a focus on solidarity, adaptability, and empowerment, the Gia Lai Women’s Union continues to act as a reliable “midwife” of success, guiding women toward knowledge, independence, and sustainable prosperity.