A family in Thuong Xuan District, Thanh Hoa Province has experienced significant improvements after participating in a livelihood support program sponsored by World Vision and Mavin Group.
A Family Facing an Uncertain Future
Cam Thi Kieu (35), her husband, and two children live in a small village at the foot of a mountain in Thuong Xuan. Like many in the area, their income from traditional farming was unstable, and her husband had to work far from home to support the family, returning only occasionally. Meanwhile, Ms. Kieu remained in the village to raise the children and take on various odd jobs.
Despite their efforts, the family struggled financially. Their meals often consisted only of plain rice with wild vegetables and bamboo shoots, with meat or fish rarely appearing on the table. Having no prior experience in livestock farming, Ms. Kieu was apprehensive.
That changed when she joined the Livelihood Support Program, co-sponsored by World Vision and Mavin Group.
Timely Support Brings Change
In 2021, Ms. Kieu's family and 20 other disadvantaged households in the village received 100 Mavin Cherry ducklings, animal feed, and sustainable farming training. Though grateful, Ms. Kieu remained hesitant, recalling her past failures raising chickens.
Encouraged by project staff from Mavin and World Vision, she participated in livestock training and received support to prepare proper housing for the ducks. Thanks to her compliance with the techniques provided and regular supervision by Mavin technicians, the ducks grew quickly. After 50 days, 96 ducks reached an average weight of 3.1 kg and were ready for sale.
Mavin and World Vision also assisted in marketing, connecting buyers directly to the households. Ms. Kieu sold 80 ducks for 8,928,000 VND, which she used to buy clothes for her children and cover daily expenses. She kept the remaining ducks to improve the family’s meals and nutrition.
Additionally, her two children were registered as vulnerable cases to receive further support from World Vision.
More Confident with Livestock Skills
With a beaming smile, Ms. Kieu shared: “I’m deeply thankful to World Vision and Mavin for this opportunity. I’m no longer afraid of livestock farming. When you follow the right methods, there’s nothing to fear. I hope other families in the village will also succeed and improve their lives.”
After the project phase ended, she reinvested her earnings to purchase 20 geese, 30 ducks, and 30 chickens, continuing her own small-scale farming.
According to Mr. David John Whitehead, Chairman of Mavin Group: “Mavin is proud to continue partnering with World Vision to make a meaningful impact in Thuong Xuan. By supporting livelihoods, we’re also empowering local people with farming skills and knowledge of value chain business models.”
The Value Chain Livestock Development Partnership Program is part of a broader Livelihood Support Project co-funded by Mavin and World Vision. Since 2018, the program has helped hundreds of farming households in Thanh Hoa escape poverty through sustainable pig, chicken, and duck farming.
In 2025, the program enters its 7th year, aiming to continue supporting 232 households across Nhu Xuan, Thuong Xuan, and Quan Hoa districts.
— Nguyen Dinh Cuong, World Vision