THE STORY OF VINH HA

THE JOURNEY OF PLANTING SEEDS IN OUR HOMELAND

We have “kept” our homeland in that way!

We have lived by “farming” in that way!

We have lived fully with our “conscience” in that way!

And that’s not easy at all.

But looking back it is the best decision in our life!

At the time of 2012, when unsafe vegetables was a burning issue, we were really worried. We were worried about the health of our children who went to study at university in Hanoi and the other loved ones.

Meanwhile, the country land that we have stick our whole life to – Phu Xuyen – Hanoi has fertile land but many abandoned houses. People have changed, they no longer love buffalo, plow or garden …

Starting with no more than 600m2 of land behind the house, we grew seasonal vegetables for our beloved living in the town. Then, our motivation of “doing something greater” for the community kept growing … So one day in late March 2013, a mother who used to spend her whole year in the field and always loves vegetables and land decided to establish the company Vinh Ha with her daughter despite many obstacles ahead of them.

Those days were not easy, our family members and relatives opposed to our decision, saying that it was “to have our trouble for our pain”.

But, we are still determined to plant seeds in our homeland.

Our determination was challenged by days of transporting the soil, cutting the grass manually, resolutely not using drugs, or days of staying alone in the fields to reclaim land…

Despite financial difficulties, we are firmly resolved not to grow dirty vegetables, not to run counter to our conscience.

Then the day of “sweet fruit” came!

Vinh Ha vegetables started to be accepted by the market. More collective kitchens have safer meals, more children in kindergartens, primary schools have clean vegetables. How warm-hearted we felt!

Then consecutively came good predestined affinities, we have been supported by NGOs, especially Thriive. Vinh Ha has been perfecting itself.

The route of Vinh Ha has now become clear:

SCHOOL VEGETABLES – VEGETABLES SCHOOL

After experiences in the market, Vinh Ha chose collective kitchens, especially kitchens at schools as our key target customers. Vinh Ha was born from our love for our children, and up to now, we also wish to be able to contribute to the health of our future children.

This is not all, Vinh Ha also wishes to contribute more value to the community, so the “Vegetables School” model was born. The target of “Vegetables School” is children, farmers and housewives.

Beginning in late 2017, Vinh Ha started organizing Farmtour activities, bringing children to the farm to experience farming; organizing training courses on safe agricultural production for farmers, especially the vulnerable women in our homeland. It is expected that in the coming time, Vinh Ha will maintain these activities and further develop “Vegetables School” for housewives, where they can get useful knowledge to grow their own vegetables, process vegetables, provide their family with safe products.

5 years for a journey, neither too long nor too short. There were falling tears, drops of sweat pouring down the field… but we always felt happy for the route we chose.

On that basis, Vinh Ha will continue to plant safe seeds for today and tomorrow …