San Diu Women’s Cultural Exchange Event for Sustainable Living

For over eight months of implementation, the project “Empowering San Diu ethic women to improve their living conditions and reduce poverty in Dong Bua Village in the buffer zone of Tam Dao National Park" funded by the Embassy of New Zealand has achieved many good results. Material living conditions of the villagers in general and women in particular have improved significantly. On 20 March 2012, C&E and Dong Bua Village Women and Environmental Club held a Cultural Exchange Event for Sustainable Living at the storage yard of Dong Bua Village Cooperative. With the local authorities’ backing, the event aimed to promote green economic models among people living around the project site and to enrich the spiritual life of Dong Bua Village women. Over 100 participants joined the event. They included members of Dong Bua Village Women and Environmental Club, C&E staffs and representatives of the local authorities, including the Communist Party Committee, the Fatherland Front, Executive Committee of Tam Quan Women Union, Dong Bua Communist Party Cell, Dong Bua Youth Union, and culture teams from Soong Co Singing Clubs of San Diu ethnic people in Tam Dao District.

There were fourteen performances with diverse genres such as dance, Soong Co songs (ethnic language song), solo songs and drama. They reflected people’s commitments to poverty reduction and wealth creation in the homeland and changes in their awareness and understanding of sustainable and hygienic work, production, horticulture and livestock. The organizers and participants most appreciated the play "Mr. Tham" and the Quizz. The play "Mr. Tham" was staged by Dong Bua Village Women Club. It lasted only ten minutes but demonstrated very clearly the change in women’s perception of safe production issues. Through the play, the women sent to all participants a message “Creating wealth should be coupled with health protection for oneself, consumers and the environment”. The Quizz again reiterated knowledge of environment-friendly production and sustainable techniques in livestock and Chou chou cultivation as well as information about the project.

The Cultural Exchange Event for Sustainable Living took place only in one morning but had very positive effects. It improved the spiritual life of in San Diu ethnic women and was a source of enthusiasm and relaxation for women after hard work which would improve labor efficiency.