Vietnamese women and their indigenous beauty in foreign lands

Among various communities of overseas Vietnamese, there is a specific organization that is widely developed in all areas, namely women's band or Union. Whether organized or spontaneous, the activities of women far from home always bring cosy feelings in the community.

"Cosy Shelter" in a faraway place

Established in 2014, during the past 7 years, the Vietnamese Women's Union in Malaysia has really become a "cosy shelter” for Vietnamese women and workers in foreign land.

Being the founder of the Union, Chairwoman Tran Thi Chang, currently working at the National Heart Institute of Malaysia, together with hundreds of members, organized many meaningful activities to bring together Vietnamese women and country folks, sharing with each other the good news, difficult times, sad and happy times and with one heart towards the homeland and roots.

Having been enthusiastically backed by the Vietnamese Embassy, ​​the women are also determined to open a Vietnamese language class for Vietnamese children or Vietnamese brides in Kuala Lumpur.

Volunteer activities of Ms. Tran Thi Chang with the Vietnamese Women's Union in Malaysia. (Photo: Provided by the featured characters in the story)

With the help of the National Heart Institute of Malaysia, members of the Union also organize free health consultations for the community on cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and first aid instructions for stroke patients.

Particularly, in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic for nearly 2 years, the Union has always been standing by the community, especially Vietnamese workers who have encountered difficulties in their livelihood.

This is the time when Ms. Chang and members of the Union actively campaigned, donated and travelled to door, hand-delivered thousands of gifts to the Vietnamese people in remote areas such as Semenyih, Kepong, SungaiBuloh, Cheras, Balakong, Seri Kembangan, GM plaza Chowkit... These gifts are simple, but in the situation of poverty and job loss, many Vietnamese in Malaysia could feel affectionate and supported.

Recently, the Vietnamese Women's Union in Malaysia has carried out a very meaningful activity; it is the facilitation of COVID-19 vaccination for Vietnamese people in many areas.

Ms. Chang affirmed that, far from her homeland, the essence of solidarity, affection and mutual help is always in the hearts of Vietnamese people. Although traveling during the epidemic is very difficult and unsafe, members of the Union are still enthusiastic about doing things to help the community.

The fulcrum of the community

Entrusting fate with a new life in the Republic of Korea - one of the countries with the highest number of Vietnamese brides in the world, many Vietnamese women are still striving every day to be able to live happily and integrate well into the local society. And the Vietnam Women's Union in Korea was born from the need to share, support each other, exchange information, culture, law, language... to integrate well with the place.

The Chairwoman of the Union Mai Thi Hong Ngoc said that in order to successfully integrate into the host country, Vietnamese women in the land of Kimchi must always be confident, overcome their limits, actively learn and have sense of striving volition. That's why she always encourages the women to be interested in study courses such as "self-development", "speak native languages ​​fluently" or "become a member of a team to support women's rights".

The woman expats also organized a communication program to learn the instructions in the Immigration Law, Labor Law, with useful information for women, and organized a movie and music show to gain a deeper understanding of the local culture.

Living far away from their homeland, these women still do not forget their roots. Since the establishment of the Union, the woman expats have regularly organized meaningful cultural programs and launched donation campaigns to help disadvantaged women overcome natural disasters such as floods, storms, fatal diseases, and difficult circumstances in their locality.

In particular, the woman expats successfully organized a charity fund-raising program and directly brought gifts to orphans, awarded scholarships to poor children and poor households throughout the North, Central and South regions so that they could overcome the difficulties.

Recently, the woman expats have always been active factors together with the Vietnamese Union to launch programs towards the Fatherland. They launched the program "Giving love", in collaboration with Vietnamese community organizations in Korea to raise funds to support by giving gifts such as food, necessities, medical masks to revitalize the homeland in the combat against Covid-19 pandemic.

Although life in a foreign land is still tough, each person wants to contribute and share love with their homeland.

Vietnamese mothers confide themselves

If there are groups in the homeland such as the Union of Diaper Moms, the Union of Single Moms, etc., in foreign countries, Vietnamese women also come to each other by such spontaneous groups.

Typically, the Vietnamese Mothers Group in Australia was founded by Ms. Nguyen Bao Chau, currently living in Melbourne, with the desire to have input in building solidarity and friendship among Vietnamese mothers living in Australia.

It is considered as a place for women to meet, communicate, and support each other in all aspects of life as well as share experiences of raising children in foreign countries, the group currently attracts more than 12,000 members. The activities of mothers are even more meaningful at a time when the Covid-19 pandemic turns complicated and affects the lives of Vietnamese people in Australia, especially mothers and unemployed workers.

Members of the Vietnamese Women's Union in Korea. (Photo: Provided by the featured characters in the story)

At the time of the pandemic outbreak, there were two groups of people who were interested and supported by the sisters: lonely elderly people and mothers with young children who lost their jobs. Therefore, those who really need help just need to call the group's hotline to receive essential support during the epidemic spell. The group members also provide shelter for homeless mothers.

Now the Vietnamese Mothers group in Australia is still working hard to raise funds to support the frontline forces against the pandemic, and to encourage the people who are facing difficulties due to the pandemic in their homeland.

Currently, the group's supportive activities have expanded to all states across Australia with the hope that the Vietnamese community would join hands to help each other overcome the pandemic.

Ms. Chau said: “I always encourage the member women to be proud when they were born and raised in an S-shaped land and need to show their children how a mother's heart is dedicated to her homeland."

Along with the Vietnamese Mother Group in Australia, Bookworm Shop represents an evidence that Vietnamese women always have a way to find each other. This is a wonderful project of 5 key women living in Finland, France, Sweden, Norway and Germany. Although each person is located in a different place, they met each other because of their passion for books and the desire to preserve Vietnamese language for their kids when growing up abroad.

Initiated from the idea of ​​Ms. Quynh Hanh (from Finland), the Bookworm Shop was lucky to have passionate book-lovers; Ms. Ngoc Linh (from Sweden), Ms. Thu Ha (from Norway), Ms. Thu Mai (from France), Ms. Quynh Trang (from Germany) to support and enthusiastically respond. Up to now, this Bookcase of Passion has gradually appeared in many European countries and Canada.

In the Bookworm Shop, it is possible to see various Vietnamese books accessible to readers in Europe and books about Viet Nam, somewhat alleviating homesickness and helping children growing up away from home understand more about Viet Nam - their originated home country.

The women members hope that the Bookworm Shop project would contribute to bringing the Vietnamese language far away, preserving the beauty of the mother tongue in the heart of each expatriate.