Dr. Nguyen Thu Trang from the Faculty of Literature and Communication, the University of Danang - University of Science and Education (UD-UED), is leading a new initiative to help local women build green livelihoods from the water lily while supporting ecological conservation in the buffer zone of the Cham Islands - Hoi An World Biosphere Reserve.

The project, titled Women Leading Green Livelihoods from Water Lilies Linked to Ecological Conservation in the Cham Islands – Hoi An World Biosphere Reserve Buffer Zone, is implemented by UD-UED in coordination with The People's Committee of Hoi An Ward, Da Nang City and relevant stakeholders.

Operating under a close cooperation model that links higher education, local government, community organizations and cooperatives, the project team includes the Cham Islands – Hoi An World Biosphere Reserve Management Board, the Fatherland Front Committee of Hoi An Ward, and the Kim Bồng Ecological Agriculture and Community Tourism Cooperative. Dr. Nguyen Thu Trang serves as head of the project management board.

The initiative aims to advance gender equality, promote a green economy, and raise community awareness of environmental protection and biodiversity conservation. 

University lecturers will design and pilot innovations to create new livelihood pathways for women in Phuoc Trung Hamlet (Hoi An Ward), an area within the reserve’s buffer zone.

By tapping the underutilized potential and value chain of the native water lily and combining local resources with improved processing technologies, the project seeks to establish a replicable green economic model that aligns income generation with ecological stewardship. One expected output is the development and processing of water lily tea products, adding value to local agricultural resources.

The project has received a non-refundable grant of 1.65 billion VND (nearly 60,000 EUR) from Stichting Oxfam Novib for an 18‑month implementation period. The Kim Bồng Cooperative is contributing in kind—boats, labor for cultivation and care, and a water lily tea processing facility—valued at nearly 230 million VND.

By connecting stakeholders and taking the lead on this project, UD-UED hopes to open a new, practical and effective pathway for translating classroom knowledge into real-world impact—mobilizing the expertise and dedication of its scientists and lecturers while helping the community raise incomes and unlock local economic potential.

UD Media

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