Inspiring commitment to women’s advancement

At the second Nguyen Thi Dinh Award ceremony in 2026, recently organized by the Vietnam Women’s Union (VWU) Central Committee, two representatives from Dong Nai were honored: Senior Lieutenant Colonel Nong Thi Minh Hue, Standing Committee member of the Dong Nai City Women’s Union (DNWU) and Head of the Women’s Affairs Board of the city’s Public Security Department; and Vu Thi Huong, Standing Committee member of the DNWU and Deputy Head of the Women’s Affairs Division at the Dong Nai City Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Committee.

Their achievements not only add to the proud 96-year history of the VWU but also inspire a greater sense of responsibility, enthusiasm and dedication among union officials and members, helping strengthen the organization and advance women’s movements.

Always ready to serve the people

Senior Lieutenant Colonel Nong Thi Minh Hue from the city’s Public Security Department said the unit’s women’s union and related activities had received strong support from the department’s Party Committee and leadership. Members work in a disciplined, professional environment, and many have solid professional expertise, organizational skills, adaptability and a readiness to take on new responsibilities. Despite these advantages, the unit still faces a number of challenges.

Le Thi Thanh Loan (center), Vice Chairwoman of the Dong Nai VFF Committee and Chairwoman of the DNWU, presents the decision establishing the “Women helping each other embrace digital transformation” Club. Photo: Nguyen Tuyet

Building on the unit’s strengths and working to overcome its challenges, Senior Lieutenant Colonel Hue has advised the Party Committee and leadership of the city’s Public Security Department on guiding women’s union activities. She has also helped organize many practical and meaningful activities to mark major events of the country, the city, the public security sector and the union. Through her creative ideas and practical proposals, the department’s Women’s Union has developed a range of programs to support local communities.

One such initiative, “Connecting with love – Overcoming the pandemic,” supported communities during the COVID-19 outbreak through a range of practical activities. These included sewing protective masks, distributing hand sanitizer to frontline workers and local residents, mobilizing donations to the vaccine fund via text messages, delivering drinking water and essential supplies to people in quarantine and lockdown areas, and taking part in “zero-dong” fairs that provided necessities free of charge. The efforts offered practical assistance and encouragement to frontline workers and people affected by the pandemic.

Under the “Godmother” program launched by the VWU Central Committee, women’s unions within the city’s Public Security Department have taken on the responsibility of supporting 49 children orphaned by COVID-19 or other causes. Each child receives a monthly allowance of VND500,000 to VND1 million, along with essential supplies, until the age of 18.

Le Thi Thuy (center), Vice President of the VFF Central Committee and President of the VWU, poses with Senior Lieutenant Colonel Nong Thi Minh Hue and Vu Thi Huong, both recipients of the Nguyen Thi Dinh Award from Dong Nai, at the ceremony.

In late 2025, historic floods caused severe damage across parts of central Vietnam and the Central Highlands. As soon as the waters receded, Senior Lieutenant Colonel Hue joined a Dong Nai Public Security Department delegation delivering relief supplies to residents of Hoa Thinh in Dak Lak Province.

“Thick mud covered the roads, and watermarks high on the walls showed how far the floodwaters had risen. Houses had collapsed, vehicles lay submerged or scattered about, and dead livestock were strewn along the roads. Residents were exhausted after struggling against the floods for days. It was heartbreaking to see,” Hue recalled.

The experience deepened her understanding of the importance of solidarity and mutual support. Back in Dong Nai, she mobilized officers and union members to assist women in flood-stricken areas. As a result, their efforts funded the construction of two homes for disadvantaged families and provided livelihood support, with total assistance exceeding VND240 million. The aid helped affected residents begin rebuilding their lives.

Driving innovation in women’s union activities

While Senior Lieutenant Colonel Hue is recognized for her dedication to public service, Vu Thi Huong, Deputy Head of the city’s Women’s Affairs Division, has helped modernize the DNWU through innovative approaches to its work.

Vu Thi Huong (second from left), Deputy Head of the city’s Women’s Affairs Division, discusses preparations for upcoming programs with colleagues.

After graduating from university, Huong began her career with the provincial Youth Union, now the municipal Youth Union. In mid-2018, she transferred to the DNWU, which has since become the city-level organization. Over more than seven years with the union, she has contributed to communications and public outreach, as well as campaigns encouraging the study the study and following of President Ho Chi Minh's thought, morality and style. She has also helped advance the emulation movement of “Building Vietnamese women of the new era”, the movements entitled “All people protecting National security” and the “Accompanying women in border areas”.

One of the Women’s Union’s priorities for the current term is to expand the use of information technology, accelerate digital transformation and help women develop their digital skills. Huong has helped advance these goals by organizing online knowledge contests, photo competitions and virtual training sessions for union officials.

In 2024, she proposed introducing software introducing software to track and evaluate emulation activities across the women’s union network. She also advised on the upgrade and deployment of Nuke Viet, an open-source application that won first prize in a VWU Central Committee contest recognizing the use of information technology in union activities and meetings. The upgraded application was subsequently rolled out at city and grassroots levels.

Huong believes innovation need not start with big things; it can begin with practical solutions to everyday problems at work. From 2021 to 2025, she proposed seven initiatives and innovative solutions. The one she is most proud of is a software-based system for tracking and evaluating emulation activities across the women’s union network, helping modernize the way the organization manages its activities.

The Nguyen Thi Dinh Award is a prestigious honor conferred by the Executive Committee of the VWU Central Committee in two rounds during each term. It recognizes full-time women’s union officials at all levels for outstanding achievements and innovative initiatives that improve the union’s programs and working methods and strengthen the organization.

Huong said the monitoring and evaluation of emulation activities within the women’s union network had previously relied largely on manual procedures, consuming considerable time and effort. Introduced in 2024, the software digitizes data and centralizes supporting records and evidence. This enables local units to update information and monitor their progress in carrying out assigned tasks, while scores are calculated and results compiled and verified automatically. The system has helped reduce paperwork, save time and make performance assessments more accurate, open and transparent.

By N. Son – Translated by M.Nguyet, Thu Ha