Lan’s* Story

Lan* endured both emotional and sometimes physical torment inflicted by her husband, particularly when he drank heavily, leading to verbal outbursts and disruptive behaviour. Despite the pain, she chose to silently endure, refraining from seeking help from authorities.

Her endurance was driven by a fierce determination to protect her children’s wellbeing, striving to ensure that their lives remained unaffected. She believed that her husband’s harsh behaviour was a result of the financial stress he carried, considering it the norm, especially given the prevalence of domestic violence in her community.

With encouragement from the local Women’s Union, Lan joined the ‘Decreasing Gender-Based Violence in Ethnic Communities in Northern Vietnam’ project and witnessed positive changes in her family. By participating in the project's life skills training sessions, Lan gained knowledge in stress management, nonviolent communication, and gender equality rights and laws on marriage and family. "The topic I find most valuable from the training series is emotional management skills," Lan shared. By applying what she learned, she found ways to effectively defuse tense situations with her husband. While Lan actively participated in the project’s activities, her husband also joined the male peer groups. Through learning about nonviolent communication and spousal responsibilities, he became aware of his violent behaviour and began working towards positive changes. “Through his participation in training courses, he has shown significant personal change and commitment to managing his anger,” Lan shared. Although occasional family conflicts arising from financial strain still exist, Lan is now more determined to prioritise her own wellbeing and has found effective ways to address and resolve disagreements.

Economically, Lan received a livelihood development loan of 10,000,000 VND from the program. With this financial support, she invested in cinnamon seeds. In addition to their livestock, she and her husband also take on manual jobs to ensure a stable income. Speaking about their future, Lan and her husband share a common goal: "My utmost priority is to provide our two children with a nurturing environment where they can receive a quality education and thrive."

*Names have been changed to protect our clients privacy

* This project has received support from the Australian Government under the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP).