Ms. Ha Thi Vy – Secretary of Cau Thia Ward Youth Union, Head of Chili Export Cooperation Group checking the development process of chili plants.

In recent years, the startup movement among youth in ethnic minority mountainous areas has increasingly spread. Among typical young faces, Ms. Ha Thi Vy, Tay ethnicity - Secretary of Cau Thia Ward Youth Union, Head of Chili Export Cooperation Group, is a prominent example, recently praised by the Central Youth Union as a typical youth face of 2025.

In 2019, when still Secretary of Thanh Luong Commune Youth Union (old name), Vy was sent to visit a chili growing model in Phu Tho. After returning with foundational knowledge from the University of Agriculture and Forestry, she boldly converted 2,000 m² of rice land to grow green chili for export to Japan.

Export green chili variety favored by the market.

The first crop in 2020 gave a yield of 55 tons/ha, with average selling price 6,500 VND/kg, opening up a new direction for local economic development.

Realizing the potential, Ms. Vy mobilized relatives and union members to participate in. By 2021, 24 households registered to grow chili, with an area of 4.5 ha.

In January 2022, the Chili Export Cooperation Group was established, with Ms. Vy as the Group Leader. By 2024, the group developed to 60 members with 245 people, mainly Muong, Thai, and Tay ethnic people.

The cooperation group under the leadership of Ms. Ha Thi Vy not only becomes a place to organize production but also an environment to learn, apply technical advances, and link effectively with businesses.

Seeds, fertilizers, and plant protection products are supplied in strict accordance with the technical procedures of GOC Food Processing Limited Company. This strong cooperation ensures that 100% of the output is stably purchased by the company, thereby building confidence among the local farmers to expand their cultivation acreage.

The vast chili fields are flourishing, bringing in bumper crops.

Ms. Ha Thi Vy visiting the bitter melon growing model for seeds of youth union members in Cau Thia ward.

The economic efficiency of the model is very clear: annual output reaches 450 - 500 tons, revenue over 3 billion VND; creating stable jobs for 60 - 80 rural youth laborers. Income reaches 350 million VND/ha/year from export chili growing and about 400 million VND/ha/year from cucumber growing.

Not only bringing economic benefits, the model also creates positive changes in social life. Before participating in the cooperation group, there were 5 poor and near-poor households; by 2024, the cooperation group no longer has poor or near-poor households. The chili growing movement has also spread to 17/39 residential groups of Cau Thia ward.

Union member Lo Van Nam shared: Ms. Vy is an inspiring example, helping us boldly change thinking, confidently start a business right in our homeland.

Buffalo raising model bringing high income of Youth Union member Lo Van Nam.

Ms. Ha Thi Vy's efforts were recognized with many rewards: Luong Dinh Cua Award the 19th time in 2024; One of 36 typical ethnic minority youth faces praised by the Central Youth Union in 2025.

Besides chili, cucumber is also a crop bringing economic efficiency to the Chili Export Cooperation Group.

Cau Thia ward currently has 10 brotherly ethnic groups living, of which Thai ethnicity accounts for more than 66%, Muong 16%, Kinh 13%, the rest are Tay, Dao, Mong, Nung, Kho Mu. Thanks to the leadership of enthusiastic union leaders like Ha Thi Vy, many young people have changed their thinking, boldly started businesses, improved income, and simultaneously preserved local cultural identity.

Secretary of Cau Thia Ward Youth Union, Ms. Ha Thi Vy pondered: My constant wish is to find ways for young people to have opportunities to grow and develop without having to leave their hometowns. I am ready to partner with them, offer technical guidance, and share my experience so that they can confidently try their hand. When each young person succeeds, the entire community will thrive together.

Thanks to growing chili for export, the lives of many households in Cau Thia ward have changed significantly.

From the journey of the resilient Tay ethnic girl to the typical female union leader of the Central Youth Union, Ms. Ha Thi Vy has proven that with knowledge, bravery, and aspiration to contribute, young people can completely create economic models that bring practical value to the community.

Ms. Ha Thi Vy is a model of the youth startup movement who understands how to master knowledge, and how to join hands to cultivate identity and develop the homeland sustainably.