From innovating mindsets and practices in household economic development and preserving cultural identities to actively engaging in community activities, women are contributing to tangible transformations starting from every family, hamlet, and village.

Confidently rising up, preserving cultural identity

Venturing into macadamia processing in 2023, Doãn Thị Thoa, proprietor of the Thoa Doãn macadamia business establishment in Tuần Giáo commune, has progressively expanded production scale and elevated the value of local agricultural commodities.

Currently, the establishment boasts four macadamia products certified under OCOP standards: cracked-shell macadamias, crispy dried macadamia kernels, macadamia sesame salt, and macadamia essential oil; while concurrently developing macadamia pastry products. These items are available in numerous domestic supermarkets and distributed across digital platforms. In early 2026, the facility exported a shipment exceeding 1 ton to the European market. Each harvest season, the establishment off-takes approximately 12 to 15 tons of fresh macadamias from local growers, helping generate employment and reliable market outlets for agricultural produce. Doãn Thị Thoa expressed: “I strive to continue developing additional macadamia products, elevating quality, and broadening distribution markets to bring Tuần Giáo macadamia nuts further afield to reach more customers.”

In Quan Chiêng village, Mường Lay ward, with proactiveness and dedication, Lò Thị Lả, Deputy Head of the Mường Lay Thái Cultural Club, has devoted many years to collecting and reviving ancient dance forms from village elders. Alongside club members, she has reconstructed traditional dances, choreographed new routines grounded in Thái cultural foundations, and participated in performances at cultural and tourism events within and beyond the province. Beyond helping spread the ethnic cultural charms of her people, she also directly passes down Thái dances to local adolescents and children. Lò Thị Lả shared: “I hope traditional Thái dances are not only preserved, but remain present within modern life rhythms. Therefore, I have actively taught them so younger generations understand, cherish, and carry forward our ethnic group’s cultural heritage.”

While one contributes to elevating the value of local produce and the other passionately preserves and passes down ethnic cultural identity - each in a distinct field - both Thoa and Lả affirm their competence and roles through concrete deeds that deliver tangible benefits to the community.

Creating conditions for women to bring their abilities into play

Real-world practice demonstrates that ethnic minority women are increasingly asserting their capabilities and standing within families and society. Pờ Diệu Ninh, Vice Chairwoman of the provincial Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee and President of the provincial Women’s Union, assessed: “Amid the province’s robust transformation, the role of Điện Biên’s ethnic women has seen breakthrough shifts, establishing a steadfast standing. Rising above barriers such as child marriage and gender stereotypes, women are increasingly confident, independent, proactive in learning, upgrading qualifications, and mastering technology and new knowledge. Women not only nurture their families, but represent a vital labor force undertaking core roles across multiple domains. From economic development, cultural preservation, product promotion, and homestay management to safeguarding border security and building the grassroots political system, women actively contribute their efforts.”

Among more than 100,000 women union members province-wide, nearly 500 are female directors, business owners, and cooperative leaders. Women are participating ever deeper in production, business, entrepreneurship, product marketing, community tourism development, and resolving social issues. Alongside individual efforts, union chapters at all levels proactively deploy numerous initiatives supporting livelihoods, vocational training, and digital upskilling - assisting members in accessing e-commerce platforms, expanding markets, and seeking employment opportunities.

Over recent times, the provincial Women’s Union has placed emphasis on supporting female economic development through resource matching, vocational training, and guiding online sales techniques. In September 2026 alone, the Union coordinated the organization of two makeup artistry training classes for 54 trainees; while continuing to facilitate vocational training in hairdressing and hair styling, alongside livestream sales skills for disadvantaged women. Union chapters at all levels have also established 23 models spanning “Digital Families,” “Digital Branches,” “Women Assisting Each Other in Digital Transformation,” and “Digital Technology,” driving technological application in union affairs and daily life.

Concretizing the goal of building comprehensively developed women, the provincial Women’s Union recently rolled out the emulation movement “Building New-Era Vietnamese Women” for the 2026-2031 period, anchored by the criteria: knowledgeable, ethical, healthy, and responsible toward oneself, family, society, and the nation. Within this, encouraging women to self-study, upgrade vocational and digital skills, develop livelihoods, and preserve cultural identities are defined as substantive focal points.

To enable women to truly become masters of the development process, equipped with conditions to bring their abilities into play and confidently advance in the new era, Pờ Diệu Ninh noted: “The provincial Women’s Union will continue renewing operational contents and modalities oriented toward the grassroots; taking members and women as the center; focusing on enhancing economic empowerment, assisting female entrepreneurship, developing women-led cooperatives, and applying digital transformation in production and business. Simultaneously, we will promote women’s roles in building happy families, preserving cultural identities, and participating in building the grassroots political system.”