Women, as a significant part of the Vietnamese community in over 130 countries and territories all over the world, are positively influencing the overseas Vietnamese community, as well as Vietnam's strong ties with other countries and partners.

Nurturing the Vietnamese soul

Vietnamese women living in foreign lands are aware of the responsibility for preserving and spreading their homeland's traditional culture.

They are not only interested in educating children about their origins, but they also teach Vietnamese, cook traditional meals, and organize trips to Vietnam for the younger generation of Vietnamese abroad during traditional holidays such as Tet.

In Germany, Dr. Dao Thi Chau Ha founded the YouTube channel named Ms. Chery Bear to provide Vietnamese culture and lessons, as well as a Vietnamese-speaking youth club in Germany and online Vietnamese classes for Vietnamese adolescents living far away from their homeland.

In addition, she reads books and chats weekly with children via Zoom, through the activities of the “Stars Reading Club”, composes poems praising Vietnamese beauty, as well as short, easy-to-learn poems, and creates a set of Vietnamese learning materials with a system of multiple choice questions about Vietnamese on the Quizizz.

"I do it first and foremost for my children, for the overseas Vietnamese children around me, and for the children who have a portion of Vietnamese blood. I hope they are closer to their origins, Vietnam, and have the characteristics of a "bilingual individual" who is smarter, and solves issues more quickly and creatively,” shared Ha.

Dr. Dao Thi Chau Ha hosts an event in Germany. (Photo courtesy of Dao Thi Chau Ha)

Ngo Kim Viet, living in the United States, could not bear the thought of Vietnamese people born and raised in the US gradually neglecting Vietnamese and not having an environment to speak Vietnamese, so she became a "teacher." She volunteered to teach children in Vietnamese families and US churches.

Viet's teaching technique is unique, consisting of lessons about history, traditional culture, images of festivals, and the distinctive culture of Vietnam, thereby educating national traditions and promoting the image of Vietnam and its people to foreign friends.

Besides activities to promote spiritual life, women have volunteered to participate in humanitarian and charitable activities, donate to natural disaster victims, and assist people in need. When the COVID-19 pandemic, earthquakes, and conflicts occur, women always support the community and people of the host country.

During the most difficult period of the COVID-19 outbreak, volunteers from the Vietnamese Women's Club in Malaysia engaged in significant journeys to spread love to poor workers throughout Malaysia in many huge states.

There were "stormy" trips with curving roads in several states, but the women were overjoyed in their hearts since they had delivered gifts to workers working on building sites far from main roads, in distant and secluded areas with few people. Some days, they travel up to 1,500 kilometers to distribute gifts to those in the most difficult situations in Bukit Jalil, Subang, and Klang.

The Executive Committee of the Vietnamese Women Federation (VWF) in Europe (Source: VNA)

In Vietnam, solidarity and mutual love programs such as "Heart for Children”, "Homes of Love,” Agent Orange victim support campaigns, and study promotion funds regularly receive support from overseas Vietnamese women in many countries such as France, Poland, Germany, Hungary, Russia, Czech, Australia, Korea, Thailand, and Laos.

Women with high professional qualifications, such as doctors, professors, experts, and scientists in various professions, have contributed knowledge, experience, and abilities to Vietnamese society. Le Thuy Oanh, an expatriate Vietnamese in Hungary, has had great success with thread-embedding acupuncture, effectively treating a wide range of challenging diseases.

The host country government also recognizes some women for their significant contributions to the community, such as Hoai Thu in Germany, who received the "Berlin Woman Award” in 1999, and Le Nguyen Minh Phuong, who became the first Vietnamese person in Korea to be honored as an "Honorary Citizen of Seoul" in 2019.

With these titles, overseas Vietnamese women serve as bridges for the people of the host country to better understand Vietnamese culture, learn more about Vietnamese people, and foster affection between Vietnam and other countries.

Promote unity and soft power

Vietnamese women living abroad are aware of the strength of solidarity in the activities of many organizations, including women's associations, clubs, and groups.

In Europe, the Vietnamese Women Federation (VWF) in Europe was officially founded in 2023, where women can gather and assist others in activities aimed at preserving and promoting Vietnamese values in host nations.

According to Nguyen Viet Trieu, President of the VWF in Europe, the federation has received sympathy and support from women in other nations. Despite geographical boundaries, members of the federation overcame challenges and unanimously agreed on action plans.

During the 2023-2028 term, many key tasks have been widely agreed upon by the members, such as collaborating to assist women in countries without Women's Unions in establishing their organizations; and assisting member associations in developing independent activity programs aimed at improving the image of Vietnamese women. They also called and donated to establish a fund for poor women and orphans.

It can be seen that the Vietnamese women's movement abroad receives significant support from women's organizations that are increasingly active in a variety of forms throughout the world.

The women's group celebrates the traditional New Year at the Vietnam Level-2 Field Hospital Rotation 5. (Source: Vietnam Level-2 Field Hospital Rotation 5)

In South Sudan, Doctor Specialist Level II Huynh Thi Thanh Giang, who specializes in obstetrics at the Vietnam Level-2 Field Hospital Rotation 5, is regarded as the Women's Group's leader in activities aimed at preserving Vietnamese traditional culture. Along with Giang's enthusiasm, the Hospital's Women's Group is organizing a volunteer trip for Bentiu children to help with humanitarian assistance, community development, and protection.

In Austria, women in the Women's Union prioritize traditional cultural education and organize Vietnamese language workshops for local children. They have just arranged a banh chung-wrapping event for children in the community in January. Moreover, they are excited about the launching of a Vietnamese language teaching class in Austria on Women's Day this year.

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