Nguyen Thi Kim Thoa’s story: growing a sustainable farming industry in Vietnam

Nguyen Thi Kim Thoa's company, Abavina, is building capacity for eco-friendly farmers in Vietnam.

Date

2022

Location

Can Tho, Vietnam

I find that this app is very useful and effective. It is an application that I can take everywhere I go.

Nguyen Thi Kim Thoa, founder of Abavina, and HerVenture user

Nguyen Thi Kim Thoa’s company, Abavina, is on a mission to increase the production capacity of environmentally friendly farmers. She dreams of a world where everyone lives in harmony with the environment. Now, with support from our award winning mobile business skills app, HerVenture, she’s bringing that dream to life.

“My name is Nguyen Thi Kim Thoa. I was born in a land we call the land of yellow flowers on green grass. Phu Yen is my hometown. In 2005, I studied at Ho Chi Minh City University of Education. After graduating in 2009, I worked on some community development projects for women and children in Hau Giang. From 2018 to now, I have been working on community-based agriculture with my company, Abavina.

Nguyen Thi Kim Thoa poses on the grounds of her agricultural business in Vietnam

Abavina was built with the desire to contribute to the farmers’ mastering process on their own land and helping them have a healthy, rich, happy life in harmony with the surrounding environment. There are three main objectives: one is organising environmentally friendly production, second is organising community development activities to enhance the capacity of people in the community, and the third part is bringing the products of that community to the market. We continuously promote the image of the community to the outside so that customers can understand the natural farming process. That is the main work of Abavina.

I have used the Herventure app since 2020. I find that this app is very useful and effective. It is an application that I can take everywhere I go. After learning from HerVenture, Abavina sat down to review our business plan. It helped Abavina maintain sales through COVID-19 in a very gentle way. In 2021, Abavina was honoured as one of the businesses creating social impact, with the most favourite story of the year in the Green Swallow program, a program for Vietnam’s social impact businesses.

Nguyen Thi Kim Thoa uses the HerVenture app at her business in Vietnam

For a woman starting a business, of course there are many challenges. I have to balance between family life and business life.

For a woman starting a business, of course there are many challenges. I have to balance between family life and business life. Before I worked in community development, I did not have much experience in business. Business requires that the person has an understanding of the market, has an ability to access and dominate the markets. These are the challenges that I find in myself.

HerVenture helped me have a clear understanding of the space between family and self. I have also figured out the content that I have to prepare before putting the product on the market, so that I can redesign it to make it simpler to use.

With my family, I observe that they are proud of me much more than they were before. They see what I can do. I can contribute to local people and the community. I have also heard positive words about me from other people. I feel very confident in work that brings value to the community and customers.”

I feel very confident in work that brings value to the community and customers.

Nguyen Thi Kim Thoa, entrepreneur and HerVenture user in Vietnam, does desk work

Made possible by...

HerVenture is available in Vietnam thanks to funding from our collaborators at Qualcomm® Wireless Reach™ and WISE.