"Box" sows hope for domestic violence experienced women within context of Covid-19 pandemic

29/04/2020
HopeBox - a social enterprise has changed its business plan due to Covid-19 outbreak but kept maintaining income and support for its women employees who suffered from domestic violence to overcome the pandemic.

Witnessed many women being abused by their relatives, Dang Hương, born in 1986, told herself to do something to energize and help the survivors escape from their situation. Therefore, HopeBox - a box of hope - was established after her meeting with friends having similar concerns.

 

At HopeBox, women,  suffered from domestic violence, learn cooking skills and can cook themselves, making cakes and gift boxes...at their own capacities.

HopeBox, founded by Dang Huong, enables those women to step out of life with no way out, gain income, then take care themselves and their children.

Ms. Dang Thi Huong, founder of the non-profit social project HopeBox

 

Dang Thi Huong, founder of the non-profit social project HopeBox.

Dropout of school since grade 7, Huong used to be a street child. Thanks to support of KOTO, a non-profit social enterprise helping street children and children in difficult circumstances, Huong got chance to study in Australia.

With endless learning efforts, she became one of 10 delegates participating  in the Australia Vietnam Young Leadership Dialogue - (2017); one of over 30 young people worldwide of the MIT Global Entrepreneurship Bootcamp; one of the representatives of Global Champions 2018.

 

Shifting business model in the context of Covid-19

“The HopeBox's has had to change about 90% of its business plans as of the  pandemic.” Dang Huong shares with the Vietnamese Women Newspaper.

Previously, HopeBox’s main revenue comes from the event company orders, and from foreign delegations learning the social enterprise model. When the epidemic outbreaks, all those services are stopped, causing losses of revenue.

To overcome that difficult period, HopeBox has shifted its services to providing homemade food and consign at food stores, such as cakes, cookies, dried chicken with lemon leaf and spaghetti sauce... especially making cookies boxes.

HopeBox product: Spaghetti sauce, dried chicken with lemon leaf 

Cute gift box  

 

Never stop hoping

It is quite a challenge for HopeBox since its revenue has not been stable while maintaining activities. The market is more competitive with same online products and less spending from clients. However, HopeBox is still proactive of trying to make new products and believe that everything will be in same order after the pandemic.

 

 For months, I has had to cover losses to pay for employees. Despite the complicated disease, I never intend to fire any HopeBox women employees. They are domestic violence women. If they was unemployed, it means that they would have to return to a violent environment with a very high risk of violence.

Dang Thi Huong, founder of HopeBox.

 

Huong hopes that Vietnamese people will more and more use Vietnamese products, especially those with high quality made by social enterprises, to help Vietnamese businesses to grow and  survive after the disease.

 

You can order or buy  products at: HopeBox , No. 5C / 7, Lane 264 Au Co Street, Tay Ho District, Hanoi, https://www.facebook.com/hopeboxvn/ or www.hopeboxvn.com.

Translated by VWU IRD

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