Transforming Silk, Transforming Lives
How USAID is advancing inclusive growth in Vietnam
“Every piece of silk contributes to the piece of art. Similarly, a person with disabilities also contributes when given the opportunity,” says Lê Viet Cường, the 48-year-old social entrepreneur, artist, and co-founder of Vun Art, a Vietnamese business that transforms leftover scrap silk into beautiful art and is run and staffed by persons with disabilities.
In Vietnam, small and growing businesses like Vun Art face numerous challenges in accessing training, capital, and markets. These businesses account for more than 90% of Vietnam’s private sector, employ more than 50% of the workforce, and contribute roughly 40% of GDP, playing a critical role in Vietnam’s socio-economic development.
USAID’s Improving Private Sector Competitiveness project works to remove the obstacles inhibiting the growth of these businesses by addressing these shortfalls and partnering with the Vietnamese government to improve economic policies, fostering an innovative and dynamic Vietnamese private sector. By 2025, over 2,500 small businesses will have received technical assistance to improve their performance, increasing revenues by 50%, and at least 100 firms will have access to regional or international markets.
Cường has been disabled since he was nine months old, so he understands the stigma of being a person with disabilities in Vietnam.
After studying electronic repair, sewing, and information technology, he failed to find formal employment until recruited to work at the Office of the Vietnam Relief Association For Handicapped Children, where he worked for 14 years.
Through this experience, he has come to believe that for a person with disabilities to live independently and integrate into society, they need meaningful careers and a stable income. This drove him to start a business which would create employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
In 2016, Cường saw an opportunity to combine his advocacy for persons with disabilities and his entrepreneurial skills when he learned that leftover silk from dress manufacturing was being thrown away — and Vun Art was born.
Nestled among the high rises of Hanoi City, the cooperative resides in the Van Phuc craft village, an ancient center of silk production. Vun Art hires persons with disabilities regardless of their artistic skills and provides on-the-job training. They work together in studios arranging small silk scraps into fine art collages, handbags, and other custom textile products for sale to tourists and organizations in Vietnam.
Vun Art is fully funded by these art sales and pays competitive wages to its 30 employees. The communal work setting fosters a community and, for many employees, a needed sense of belonging, furthering their inclusion in society.
During COVID-19 lockdowns in Vietnam, Vun Art’s sales dropped by 95%, putting the business in serious financial trouble. Lê and Vun Art’s sales manager, NguyenThu Phuong, looked to e-commerce as a solution — a market they did not have experience with. They learned about USAID’s Market Expansion through an E-commerce training course, where participants gain the skills and practical tools to improve online business visibility.
Phuong participated in the training and learned how to enhance their brand’s logo, tell their story, and design professional online advertisements.
“USAID’s assistance came at the right time. The skills we learned improved our visibility, attracted more customers, and increased sales,” said Phuong. This improved their presence on Facebook as well as their professional website.
Within three months of launching their new e-marketing strategy, Vun Art doubled sales revenue compared to the previous quarter, reaching new customers throughout Vietnam. Building on this success, they are now setting their sights on expanding into international markets, and have put the economic challenges of COVID-19 behind them.
In Vietnamese, “Vụn” means leftovers. At Vun Art, the artists not only transform leftover silk into art but in the process, they empower themselves, sending a positive message that persons with disabilities have an equal place in society.
“Vun Art is more than a workplace. It is a family. USAID’s support helped us create jobs, generate income, and improve our community of artists,” Phuong says with a smile.
About the Author
Benjamin Ilka is the Creative Advisor at USAID’s Mission in Vietnam.
