In the remote mountains of Thanh Hoa Province, life is often a daily struggle for women carrying the weight of their families on fragile shoulders. Without steady jobs, they endure hardship in silence, raising children while holding onto the hope of a brighter tomorrow.
Sometimes, though, a timely opportunity can spark real change. For many, that chance has come through a sustainable livelihood program launched in 2018 by Mavin Group, in partnership with World Vision International in Vietnam.
Hope begins with a flock of ducks
The story of Ms. L.T. Hen is one such example. Caring for three young grandchildren while their parents work far from home, she juggled farming chores with child-rearing in constant financial strain. When selected as one of 20 vulnerable households to join the program, she finally glimpsed a new beginning.
Hen received breeding ducks from Mavin, along with feed, veterinary medicine, and hands-on training. Though resources were scarce, she managed by supplementing feed and borrowing where necessary. After 55 days, she sold her first flock, earning more than VND7 million in profit. To many, that sum may seem modest, but for Hen’s family it was transformative. Meals became more nourishing, her grandchildren received new clothes, and most importantly, hope returned to their home.
Similar stories echo across Thanh Hoa Province. Ms. H.T. Minh, a single mother struggling with small rice plots and uncertain income from selling bamboo, received 80 Cherry Valley ducklings, 300 kilograms of feed, and essential training in poultry care. Within 45 days, her first flock brought in VND14 million, enough to pay school fees and reinvest in her farm.
“I believe that by raising Mavin ducks, my family’s life will become more stable,” Minh said.
Ms. H.T. Minh is happy with a flock of full-grown ducks she has raised after receiving 80 Cherry Valley ducklings, feed, and training in poultry care from Mavin Group
For Ms. L.T. Lan, widowed and raising three children alone, the program was nothing short of life-changing. With no farmland or steady work, she survived day by day. Receiving 100 breeding ducks with full support, she launched into farming for the first time. Just 50 days later, she earned VND11.5 million — the largest income she had ever held. Lan reinvested in her flock, bought necessities for her children, and even started a small sugarcane juice business.
“The most valuable gift is not just the ducks, but the knowledge and confidence to change our lives,” she shared.
These women’s journeys show the power of resilience combined with timely support — proving that they are not merely raising ducks to survive, but raising hope for a sustainable future.
A journey of growth and empowerment
Since 2018, the partnership between Mavin and World Vision has supported more than 700 households across Thanh Hoa’s mountainous areas — including Quan Hoa, Thuong Xuan, and Nhu Xuan — to lift themselves out of poverty through their own labor.
The year 2025 marks a milestone: 232 households across these areas received more than 22,000 Cherry Valley ducklings from Mavin, along with feed, medicine, and technical training. On average, each family now earns VND6–7 million after a 50–60 day raising cycle — a vital income source for families once without stable work.
Yet the program’s impact goes beyond income. It delivers knowledge, self-confidence, and a sense of community. Training sessions, online support groups, and regular visits from technical staff ensure that families never feel alone. Women like Hen, Minh, and Lan have learned to calculate costs, manage flocks, and reinvest profits, while gaining the courage to expand production and imagine new economic opportunities.
A commitment from the heart
For Mavin Group, sustainability is not a corporate slogan but a heartfelt commitment to community development. Every duckling, every bag of feed, and every training session reflects careful preparation, responsibility, and compassion.
Seven years of collaboration with World Vision have gone far beyond philanthropy. This is not a one-off donation, but a model of how businesses can fight poverty in meaningful, lasting ways — by staying engaged, building capacity, and empowering communities to stand on their own feet.
The program follows a principle of empowerment: giving not just fish to eat, but the fishing rod itself. For poor women in Thanh Hoa who once felt powerless to change their fate, it has been a lifeline. Today, many can stand tall, providing for their families with dignity and raising children in an environment of hope and opportunity.
And it all began with a simple but powerful gift — a flock of Mavin ducks.
Source: The Saigon Times