By Thúy Hằng Despite being born and bred in Nga Sơn, a rural district in the central province of Thanh Hóa famed for its traditional bed mats and other products made of sedge, Trần Doãn Hùng never wanted to follow the craft and becoming involved in a business endeavour relating to the material never even crossed his mind. HANDS ON: Trần Doãn Hùng weaving sedge bags at Cỏ May Craft’s workshop. Photos courtesy of Trần Doãn Hùng Like many in his village, after graduating from high school he headed to Hà Nội to attend university and then worked for a few years in the capital. In 2017, he went to work at a resort in the beach city of Nha Trang on Việt Nam’s south-central coast, where by chance he found a new direction in life. A female co-worker showed Hùng her new handbag, made of sedge. Admiring its meticulous weaving, he began to think about his hometown’s famed craft. “I wondered whether this was something I could do,” the now 28-year-old recalled. “After some restless nights, I decided to quit my job and return home and found a start-up.” And so it was that in 2018 Hùng founded Cỏ May Craft (Gold Bear Grass Craft). “Gold Bear grass, the local sedge, is flimsy but durable,” he said in explaining the company name. “Like many people who were born and bred in a village, when I was living in the city I was always nostalgic for home, with its green pastures and sedge. It’s what brought me back.” Without knowledge and experience, though, he had to start out from scratch. While studying and learning the craft, he was fortunate enough to meet a helpful craftsman in the central city of Huế who was willing to share his skills and experience. He also decided, though, to focus on sedge products other than mats, which had been made in his home village for hundreds of years. BEST SELLERS: About 1,000 bags from Cỏ May are sold each month on Amazon in the US. Cỏ May, therefore, specialises in producing women’s handbags. Together with …
Self employed worker
Vietnam expects to send 90,000 laborers overseas in 2021
Vietnamese labor export firms are working hard to find more contracts and markets. Vietnam’s Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) expects to send 90,000 laborers to work abroad in 2021, mainly to high and stable income countries. Director General of the MoLISA’s Department of Overseas Labor Tong Hai Nam said the department has renewed its agreement on labor cooperation with Thailand, negotiated similar deal with Israel, and carried out existing agreements with South Korea, Japan and some other countries. Some 78,641 Vietnamese laborers were sent abroad in 2020. Photo: xuatkhaulaodong.com.vn Some target markets of Vietnam still have high demand for labor, including Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea. Nam added that his department has been pondering on sending workers to Romania and Poland. It has also been supporting localities to send seasonal workers to South Korea and other nations. Nam noted that more than 26,000 Vietnamese guest workers whose labor contracts expired are unable to return home due to the effects of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The Department of Overseas Labor Management has instructed relevant units to coordinate with Vietnamese diplomatic missions abroad, partners, and employers to ensure the safety and legitimate rights of guest workers amid the global crisis, while they are waiting to return home. Besides, the department has also required 506 enterprises licensed to send workers abroad to review the number of employees who are subject to return home due to the effects of the outbreak. Some 78,641 Vietnamese laborers were sent abroad in 2020, reaching 60.5% of the government target amid border closures imposed by many countries due to the Covid-19 pandemic. According to the MoLISA, Vietnamese labor export firms are working hard to find more contracts and markets. Besides, some have invested in training the workforce on foreign languages and necessary skills before sending them …
[Read more...] about Vietnam expects to send 90,000 laborers overseas in 2021
Japanese organisations and individuals honoured for supporting the Vietnamese community amid COVID-19 pandemic
Speaking at the function Lam Thi Thanh Phuong, Envoy at the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan, conveyed her sincere thanks for the valuable support, both material and spiritual, of Japanese benefactors to the Vietnamese community in the country. She reported the COVID-19 pandemic has posed significant difficulties for nearly 500,000 Vietnamese people in Japan, with many Vietnamese labourers having lost their jobs. In this context, many kind-hearted Japanese individuals and organisations have provided prompt support to Vietnamese workers and students, helping them overcome many difficulties. According to the Minori Murata, Head of the Japan – Vietnam Friendship Association in Ibaraki Prefecture, the Vietnamese are one of the biggest foreign-born communities in the prefecture. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the association has provided aid for pandemic-hit Vietnamese workers and students in Ibaraki. …