From a lotus pond in the village, Ms. Hoang Thi Uc (Tay ethnic) has transformed it into a tourist attraction. This seemingly small job not only brings a stable income but also contributes to creating jobs for the elderly women here.
In Muoi village (Lam Thuong commune, Lao Cai province) amidst the mountains, there is a Tay ethnic woman who is quietly turning a natural lotus pond into a place for tourists to visit and experience, opening up new opportunities for elderly women like herself. That is Ms. Hoang Thi Uc, born in 1967.
Mrs. Uc's life was not smooth, she had a short-lived family before her husband passed away when she was only 32 years old. Since then, she has raised her two sons alone. Despite the hardship, she has never allowed herself to give up. Her two sons are now adults. However, in her old age, she still worries: "If I only rely on subsidies or a little bit from my children, it is not good. I want to create more jobs myself, not only for myself but also for many elderly people in the village."
From abandoned lotus pond to tourism idea
The lotus pond where Mrs. Uc is exploiting is a clear blue water area that has existed for generations with the people of Muoi village. When she was young, she and her friends used to wade into the pond and pick lotus flowers to play. But over the years, the lotus pond gradually became wild, overgrown with grass, and few people paid attention to it.
There was a time when many people came to bid on the pond to raise fish and grow lotus, but they were not successful. Mrs. Uc thought: "If I receive it and renovate it, tourists will have a place to come and take pictures. It will preserve the landscape and create more income." The idea initially surprised many people, because no one thought that a woman nearly 60 years old would start a business from a lotus pond.
So she and two other middle-aged women in the village pooled money to rent the pond, at a rate of 10 million VND per year. The three of them began to renovate it, clearing the grass, replanting lotus, and building a few bamboo huts for visitors to rest.
"The first days were very hard. In the hot summer sun, we waded through mud all day, our hands and feet were blistered. But thinking about the day when the pond would be full of flowers and visitors would flock to us, I naturally had motivation," she said.
Joy in lotus season
The efforts were worth it. In the lotus blooming season, the pond glowed pink in the morning mist, attracting groups of visitors from neighboring districts. Some came to take photos, others wanted to try on a yếm, áo dài or traditional costumes to capture the moment among the lotus.
From a lotus pond, Ms. Uc has now built a hut, organized costume rentals, and sold entrance tickets for 20,000 VND/person. Those who like taking photos can rent ao dai, ao yem, ao Tay... for 20,000 - 40,000 VND/set. Although the income is not much, it is stable and, importantly, it creates jobs for the elderly women in the village.
"The amount of money we earn is not much, but we are happy, we feel that we are no longer 'extra' and that even though we are old, we can still make money and contribute to beautifying the village," Ms. Uc shared.
Not only that, the lotus pond also becomes a place to strengthen the village's solidarity. During the lotus season, people gather together, take care of each other, and welcome guests. The elderly are less lonely, and visitors can experience the simplicity and sincerity of the Muoi people.
Plan for a more complete lotus pond
Despite the initial success, Ms. Uc still has many plans. "In the future, we want to improve the facilities such as building more huts and opening food services so that guests can have a more complete experience. Who knows, one day, this lotus pond will be a tourist highlight of the whole commune," she excitedly said.
Ms. Uc's lotus pond model is gradually becoming a part-time job for older women who have few opportunities to work. "I hope to receive more support from the government and the Women's Union to expand the service. Then, many women in the village can earn extra money and no longer depend on their children and grandchildren," she shared.
The story of Ms. Hoang Thi Uc is like a miniature picture of the rise of ethnic minority women. A seemingly weak woman, after life's upheavals, still stood up strongly, raised her children and now started a livelihood, doing community tourism from a lotus pond right in her hometown.
Source: https://baolaocai.vn/y-tuong-lam-du-lich-tu-dam-sen-que-cua-nguoi-phu-nu-dan-toc-tay-post879843.html
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