Mr. Nguyen Van Toan, a member of the Opportunity Team in Ho Son 1 hamlet, participated in the Integrated Rural Development Project Phase 2 in Bao Son starting in 2014. Initially, Mr. Toan joined as a manager and support cow banking activities in his hamlet.
As an active member of the hamlet, Mr. Toan sees an opportunity for disadvantaged households to develop their economy through cow bank, so he actively encourages and supports everyone. He is responsible for surveying households who want to receive cows, along with other members of the Opportunity Team. They assess and rank households to see if they are eligible to participate. Mr. Toan closely follows cow bank activities in his hamlet.
Mr. Toan had fully participated in training courses organized by the project such as technical training in livestock production, cultivation, household income generation, child care and education, and study tours.
Mr. Toan shared: “Because I am a member of the Opportunity Team and guide people to develop their income, I must be an example, the person who goes first for everyone to look at and follow”. So in 2015 he bought a cow with family money and raised it at home. In addition, his family also planted 600 guava trees, providing a stable annual income. His family also runs a rice milling business in the hamlet. He started doing this service because his hamlet is quite large and far from the commune center. Therefore, every time people go to grind rice, people have to go quite far.
Gradually developing the business for several years, Mr. Toan’s family now has many stable sources of income. His current number of cows has increased to 5, purchased by the family and bred from the calves produced.
Mr. Toan is really a testament to the success of the project. The project has changed the perception and life of not only the direct beneficiaries but also the surrounding community.
