In the Red River Delta of northern Vietnam, one finds beauty in the seemingly endless rice paddies, mountain ranges and waterways. At the same time, evidence of war and economic hardship is hard to miss. The densely populated towns are impoverished and the roads connecting them are in disrepair. But look a little closer and you will find signs of hope and progress in these communities.

One example is the Hong Ngoc Humanity Center in Sao Do Town, Hai Duong Province. I was given a tour of the workshop by an employee named Kien. Just a few years ago he labored as a machinist. Today, he has a more enjoyable job as a salesperson here at the center, where he is now able to get by in four or five languages, all of which he picked up from tourists.

The center was established in 1997 by a childless couple from Saigon. Its mission is to provide artistic training in handicrafts, including silk embroidery, painting and jewelry making, to young people who are physically disabled or otherwise not able to work in the fields or factories. The center also serves as a business where the finished products are sold. Thus, the students are able to earn a living once they reach a certain level of training.

The original investment was in a small rented shop intended for about 10 children to learn embroidery. Just five years later, the operation is 85 percent bigger. Because of the government’s “Doi Moi” (renovation) policy, the owners have been able to purchase the building and surrounding property where students live in dormitories.

Artists are brought into the center from outside the province to train the students, and the profit from sales is reinvested back into the workshop.

How does the Center manage to attract visitors in an area otherwise not considered a tourist hot spot?

For one reason, it is located on a highly traveled tourist route. It has taken advantage of the need for clean public restrooms, which are at a premium in these parts.

That is not an insult, but a fact of life in a poor country trying to make itself more attractive to tourists. The shop itself is spacious and clean, and visitors are served complimentary tea and snacks.

A second reason people keep coming is the cause. These students are otherwise unable to make a living in the rice paddies or in a factory due to physical limitations, and with an average of six months training, they learn skills that make it possible to have an income.

The center is also a place where lifelong friendships are made, including the occasional marriage.

Lastly, the workshop is a desirable destination for tourists because the artwork created here is high quality. One has to see it to believe it.

The Hong Ngoc Humanity Center is an example of how a simple idea can evolve into something big.

Even with limited resources at the outset, the grassroots mentality, vision and goodwill of one couple has helped improve the lives of many Vietnamese in the North.