In the hearts of the collaborators, the “I am strong” project is…
10/08/2021
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“Proud”, “happy”, “strong”, “inspiring”, “understanding”, “companion”, are the keywords that 6 “I am strong” project’s collaborators shared when the almost 2-year journey companion comes to an end.
Growing up from the DynaGen Initiative, 6 collaborators who have their own major, personality and hometown are 6 colorful puzzle pieces. In spite of different backgrounds, when participating in the "I am strong" project, all of them are incredibly enthusiastic, professional and dedicated. Those things come from the journey they were trained, with the guidance of the project team in general and the For Vietnamese Stature Foundation (VSF) in particular. From training sessions on gender equality, project management and evaluation, to field trips in Thanh Hoa province and lessons-sharing workshops, collaborators have gained a lot of knowledge, skills, and experiences. The joy and confidence in the eyes along with the smile full of happiness are on their faces when the collaborators share about the changes in themselves after the past meaningful journey.
For collaborator Vu Minh Chau (University of Law - Hanoi National University), the project is an opportunity for Chau to take a closer look at real life, to have a better understanding of how labor laws are applied in practice. Moreover, Chau treasured gained valuable skills and experiences when participating in the project. “I would like to give a sincere thanks to the “I am strong” project for giving me the opportunity to become a collaborator and companion for nearly two years. Thanks to the enthusiastic guidance of VSF’s staff , I have learned a lot about the necessity of careful preparation and flexible approach to convey my messages. At the same time, I also admire the strength and solidarity of the workers.” - Chau shared.
Ha Phuong Linh (Vietnam National University of Agriculture) was a freshman with little experience when becoming a project collaborator. But with the spirit of learning, Linh has made constant progress and is extremely proud to be a part of the "I am strong" project. Linh confided: “The first time I participated in such a big project. At first, I felt extremely nervous because I had no experience in community projects. However, when participating in the training sessions, I feel that I became more confident to express my thoughts and learnt a lot of skills such as being attentive and focusing on work. Working in a modern environment with such a professional manner, I gained more knowledge and practiced many skills that I am lacking. These are valuable lessons that help me a lot in my future career.”
Being a junior at the same university as Ha Phuong Linh,, Nguyen Minh Thuy is a collaborator who actively participates in field trips where she realizes the meaning of sharing, listening and understanding. “The project has left me with many different emotions. I really want to talk about love, about empathy and mutual understanding. Because of these virtues, even when I made mistakes in the process of working, I was always accompanied and guided a lot by VSF’s staff. When participating in the project, I was also able to put myself in the position of the workers to see that the sharing, understanding and solidarity of the members made positive changes for the community and created the success of the project.”
“I am extremely happy to be a collaborator. I still remember the first day to prepare for the field trip in Thanh Hoa, I was very excited and woke up at 4am!" - They are fresh memories of Nguyen Thi Huyen (Hanoi University of Industry) when she thinks about the project. Although her final year student's studies are stressful, it does not mean that Huyen is less dedicated to the project. Huyen observed, took careful notes, assisted with discussion, and collected communication materials, through which she had a broader view of life, and gained more knowledge about labor law and health. “I would love to give thanks to the project for giving me a very meaningful experience, and thank VSF for wholeheartedly supporting me throughout the project. Being a part of this project makes me so happy! In addition to the knowledge and skills I have learned, each field trip leaves me with my own emotions, making me more and more mature!” - Huyen shared.
For Dinh Quang Linh (Hanoi University of Industry), "I am strong" project is an opportunity to make Linh more confident and strong: "At first, I did not have the necessary skills, after participating in the project, I had a professional working attitude, be punctual, carefully prepared for activities, focused on taking minutes. This is possible thanks to the project’s members, who always care and help me realize the importance of gender equality, teach me to listen, observe, empathize and love. I feel deliriously happy because of the value that the project brings to the community, it’s not something too big, but a gradual step changing daily things in daily life. I feel very happy and lucky to be a small part of the project. This leaves an imprint on my student life.
As a collaborator, Nguyen Thi Lan (Banking Academy) said: “I feel very lucky and proud to be a part of the project, because I realize that the project not only creates positive changes to the female workers themselves but also the community around them. Each time I participate in a group of workers, I hear different stories from the participants. There are stories filled up with laughter, but there are also streaming tears. After all, everyone became more active, stronger to speak up and share. Those female workers have become an inspiration to me, and made me stronger.”
For collaborators, though the journey of the "I am strong" project has come to an end, it is the beginning of growth, understanding, confidence and bravery. Lovely bags, convenient lunch boxes - water bottles, and masks will be souvenirs for collaborators to always bear in mind the project in their future steps!
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With the goal of building confidence, leadership capacity and knowledge to enhance the well-being and improve working conditions for female workers, CARE International in Vietnam co-launches the "I'm Strong" Initiative with Thanh Hoa Provincial Women's Union, The Institute for Studies of Society, Economy and Environment (iSee), Centre for Community Health Research and Support (CCHS), Dong Nai Legal Counseling Center and For Vietnamese Stature Foundation in Thanh Hoa, Long An, Dong Nai and Ho Chi Minh City.
DynaGen Initiative is a large-scale and long-term program initiated by For Vietnamese Stature Foundation, and implemented in collaboration with the Education & Times Newspaper (Ministry of Education and Training) and Vietnamese Students Development and Support Center (Vietnam National Union Of Students). The program aims to realize the vision and mission of all three units, which is to contribute to the development of talents in students and to support students - young people to establish their careers.