This holiday season, allow yourself to be moved by AWE graduate Phan Tả May's inspiring journey
When women are given the tools to succeed, they can transform their lives and act as catalysts for positive change in their families and communities--May's journey reflects exactly this.
Through AWE training, May gained the skills and confidence to transform her life—and now she is sharing that success with others. Her inspiring story is a testament to how your generous support can change lives.
May's Entrepreneurial Journey After AWE Training
In 2020, May graduated from our Entrepreneurship, Leadership and Train-the-Trainer programs in Vietnam, a transformative suite of programs designed to help women build businesses, increase their confidence, and become facilitators of AWE's training. The training didn’t just teach May business skills; it empowered her with the confidence to make bold decisions and believe in herself. Within a year of graduating, May went from assisting her mother in her textile shop to opening her very own craft business.
May's success wasn’t just about the growth of her own business, which was essential to meeting the everyday needs of herself and her children—it was also about her impact on the community. May’s transformation soon became a catalyst for positive change beyond her household, as she established herself as a leader who provided expertise and support to other women.
May shared her thoughts about this empowering transformation:
“After the training I got involved in social projects with different organizations and learned even more. Afterwards I joined a public speaking mentorship group where I am now a mentor. I also share my business experience with anyone who is willing to learn, to motivate and help more people.”
Becoming a Catalyst for Community Transformation
By 2021, May was facilitating AWE training programs in Sapa. This was a pivotal moment for May: not only was she running her own business, but she was also passing on her knowledge as a mentor to other AWE participants.
Then, putting her training to use, she identified an unmet need in the marketplace and launched a new venture. In May’s village, women host tourists in their homes, but without access to washing machines, they were burdened with handwashing guest bedding. Recognizing an opportunity to ease their workload and meet a pressing need, May convinced her husband’s boss of her vision, secured a loan from him and purchased a washing machine. She set up a laundromat in her village, creating a vital service for the community while providing jobs for her sister and other villagers, transforming a simple idea into a source of empowerment and economic growth.
May’s journey of empowerment continued to unfold as she pushed herself further into new challenges. In 2022, she took another bold leap by starting a fintech business, a completely different field from her original textile work. This was an extraordinary move, showing just how much her confidence had grown since she first entered the program.
AWE's training program helped May to believe in herself:
"The most important thing I learned is for our mindset to stay open, active, and motivated to find opportunities to learn more skills to expand our business. I constantly experiment and learn from my mistakes to perfect my business.”
By 2023, May’s fintech business was thriving, earning over 600,000,000 VND in profits.
She employs seven women, providing them with stable jobs and the opportunity to grow in an environment that values empowerment and mentorship.
May created a model for sustainable income by founding her enterprises, providing career opportunities for local women in the process. These women, who once may have had limited career options, now have a chance to learn, grow, and take their own risks—just as May did.
The Sustainable Outcomes of Empowerment
May's story is just one example of the profound outcomes of AWE training. Your support helps women gain the skills, confidence, and mentorship they need to transform their own lives. With your help, we can continue to make stories like May's a reality for more women.
Through AWE training, women like May have:
Experienced a boost in confidence, with a total of 99.18% of graduates reporting an increase in self-esteem, allowing them to confidently pursue business ventures.
Increased decision-making power in their households and family businesses—69% of graduates report more influence in the home.
Expanded their businesses and increased their income—63% of participants reported business growth after completing the program.
Improved their living standards, either by repairing homes, building new ones, or making critical changes (like adding indoor plumbing)—92% of graduates experience better housing conditions.
These are the sustainable outcomes of empowerment. Your contributions help women like May transform their lives and bring prosperity to communities.
Hope for the Holidays
This holiday season, we ask you to join us in supporting AWE training to help us reach participants like May. Your generosity will help:
Provide training programs that empower women to build successful businesses.
Offer mentorship opportunities that enable participants to grow and share their knowledge with others.
Improve living conditions, alleviate poverty, and fund education for women globally.
By giving a gift today, you join us in making the world a better place, one woman at a time. May’s journey is proof that when women are empowered, entire communities prosper.
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