Phuong

Phuong is a 35-year-old woman from an ethnic minority group, married with two school-aged children: her eldest, 14, attends secondary school, and her youngest, 8, is in primary school.

Phuong lives in the mountainous Cam Thuy District, Thanh Hoa Province, where agriculture, forestry, and fisheries remain the main livelihoods. Acacia cultivation is particularly important due to its adaptability to hilly terrain, short growth cycle of 5 to 15 years, and its contribution to income generation and poverty reduction.

Typically, acacia trees are grown on a 5- to 7-year cycle, harvested by clearcutting, and replanted with new seedlings. The timber is sold to local wood-processing factories for export or to paper mills, and Phuong’s plantation follows this model.

In recent years, she has participated in training on sustainable acacia cultivation, including rational irrigation and reducing chemical fertiliser use to protect soil fertility. She has also been an active participant in the local Green Credit programme, receiving guidance on modern, sustainable farming techniques. Loan funds are closely monitored by credit officers and local authorities to ensure they are used for their intended purpose.

Phuong applied for a new loan with Lendwithcare local partner, THMFI. This will help her 11,200 acacia seedlings and 10 bags of organic fertiliser to replant recently harvested land. With training, community support, and a strong personal commitment to improvement, she is confident in the long-term success and sustainability of her family’s forest.