The Journey from a Scrap Collector to a Bronze Casting Workshop Owner

Nguyễn Thị Lệ grew up in a town famous for its traditional bronze casting craft. However, not every family pursued this trade. For many years, she made a living by collecting and selling scrap materials.

In the late 1990s, she rode her old bicycle through the small streets of Ninh Bình every day, gathering cardboard and paper scraps. With no initial capital, her daily earnings ranged from only 30,000 to 50,000 VND—just enough to support her five-member family. She often wondered, “If only I had a few hundred thousand dong, I could buy more materials and make a better profit.”

In March 1998, the Affectionate Fund (now known as TYM) expanded its operation to her neighborhood. Upon hearing that the organization provided loans to women without requiring collateral, she was both curious and skeptical. She didn’t understand why availing loans required attending center meetings, learning sessions, or even singing. When she asked fellow scrap collectors, none of them knew much about this organization.

Determined to find out more, she sought advice from Mrs. Chi, the head of the local Vietnam Women’s Union. When she learned that this was a project by the Vietnam Women’s Union allowing women to take out loans with gradual repayment—unlike the high-interest informal lending practices in the area— she decided to join the Affectionate Fund.

To qualify for a loan, she needed to form a group of five women with similar financial needs.¹ After much consideration, she convinced five other fellow scrap collectors to join her. Thanks to this, she received her first loan of 500,000 VND. Though it was a small amount, it allowed her to buy more materials and earn higher profits. Year after year, she continued borrowing from TYM to expand her business.

Having been with TYM for over two decades, she not only gained access to financial support but also learned valuable business insights. She gradually realized, “I live in a craft village, so why am I only collecting scraps instead of producing something myself?” Acting on this idea, in 2013, she and her husband decided to open a bronze casting workshop at home, leveraging her husband’s skills.

With an initial investment of 200 million VND, their workshop – just 70 square meters – primarily produced incense burners, ceremonial urns, and portrait statues. Today, the workshop employs three metal finishers and four casters, including herself, her husband, their son, and her sister-in-law. Their total investment in the workshop has reached approximately 1 billion VND. Each month, after deducting expenses, their family earns around 20 to 25 million VND. Most products are made to orders from long-term customers and nearby provinces.

With a stable income, they were able to build a spacious two-story house. Beyond running her business, she actively participates in community activities. Encouraged by TYM staff and local women, she has taken on roles such as TYM center leader, Vietnam Women’s Union officer, and a member of the Study Promotion Association and the Fatherland Front.

Speaking about TYM, she shared:
“TYM has been a loyal companion to my family for many years, and we are deeply grateful for the valuable small loans we have received. These funds have helped us build the life we have today. I sincerely hope that in the future, TYM can consider increasing loan limits, especially for those in the bronze casting industry, as the costs involved are quite high. With larger loans, those of us in this craft will have better opportunities to grow our businesses.”

TYM – Ý Yên Branch