For a price lower than that of a blender, this machine can “process” 200 to 300 kilograms of water hyacinth or grass in just one hour. Its creator, Nguyen Nhu Linh, is a true “grassroots engineer…”
The flooded fields in Thuy Thanh (Thai Thuy-Thai Binh) had witnessed the toil of the people. A young man was laboring in the swamp with heavy loads of water hyacinth. He hurriedly carried them home, dumped them on the yard, and began chopping, chopping, chopping… amidst the “torturous” cries of the hungry pigs demanding food… It was 1999, a particularly tough year for Nguyen Nhu Linh.
From a soldier to a “grassroots engineer”
“Because my parents were poor, I had to chop hyacinth and slice sweet potatoes” – this proverb seems to encapsulate the dread of chopping hyacinth, which is incredibly itchy, causing the skin on the hands to break… Thus, the thought of “if only there were a hyacinth chopping machine” kept haunting Linh’s mind.
The “capital” that Linh had to start was merely some knowledge about machinery and electronics from his time as a communication soldier in Military Region 3, supplemented by practical training at small workshops in the neighboring commune after his discharge in 1986. Linh began experimenting with a hyacinth chopping machine by visiting rice milling machines in the local market.
With a solid grasp of the principles, it was time to find materials. Motors from discarded air conditioning units were plentiful. For years, Linh worked tirelessly on his own, sketching various designs, but the results were far from satisfactory. The initial machine was as large as a rice mill, noisy, and turned the hyacinth into a fine mush. Some prototypes caused the hyacinth to fly out like a rice thresher. It wasn’t until he discovered a “discharge outlet” with a shield that the hyacinth chopping “technology” was perfected. The chopped hyacinth came out evenly, with pieces as small as the careful cuts made by village girls. Done! Linh jumped for joy, boasting throughout the village.
After completing the machine, it was time for his close friend from the same hometown, who was also in a “struggling” situation, to get involved. Feeling for his friend, Linh gave him the first machine he built. Then he tinkered to make a few more machines to sell to people in the village, hoping to “test the market.” However, despite waiting for a long time, there was still no sign from the market. While the villagers were quite “happy” with the hyacinth chopping machine, they hesitated to buy many due to their skepticism about a product from a non-certified, non-branded garden worker.
Another reason the hyacinth chopping machine did not gain traction was that many families who purchased the machine kept it secret, fearing others would borrow or steal it.
From “grassroots engineer” to… business owner
It was only when the hyacinth chopping machine “caught the attention” of a county leader that things changed. This official visited Linh’s household appliance repair facility and was completely convinced by the products of this grassroots engineer. He suggested that Linh should register for copyright and quality standards for his hyacinth chopping machine and water pump and establish a business to expand production and turn these products into commodities.
The procedures for registering quality standards were quickly supported by the Department of Science and Technology of Thai Binh Province. The county even provided over 80 million VND for Linh to register for research and development of his products as a scientific project. Additionally, the government facilitated Linh in renting space outside the market to open a private enterprise.
In February 2004, the machine manufacturing enterprise named Thien Thuan was established in Thuy Thanh commune, right next to the rice fields, just over 15 km from Thai Binh city. Although the initial scale was small, the enterprise managed to sell hundreds of water pumps and hyacinth chopping machines each month, attracting more than 30 local workers and ensuring their income ranged from 700,000 to 1,000,000 VND. Notably, Linh not only hired young people with intermediate degrees in mechanical engineering but also took in unskilled laborers, organizing them to learn while working, turning the machine manufacturing facility into an effective vocational training center.
Currently, Linh’s water pumps and hyacinth chopping machines have established a solid brand. The hyacinth chopping machine has been showcased at the Thai Binh Small and Medium Enterprises Conference and will continue to be displayed at the “Farmers’ Friends” fair to be held in Thai Binh city in October.
Mr. Nguyen Van Lich, Deputy Director of the Thai Binh Department of Science and Technology, highly appreciates the self-made machinery products of Nguyen Nhu Linh. What is remarkable is that this farmer-engineer has not stopped at merely modifying and creating products from old machinery; he has now developed 100% localized water pumps and hyacinth chopping machines from his small workshop in his impoverished village.
The Chairman of Thai Thuy District compared Nguyen Nhu Linh to figures like Nguyen Duc Tam, Nguyen Van Dung, or Nguyen Cam Luy… among the farmers of the Mekong Delta. Linh stated: “I create machines primarily to save myself and help my fellow villagers ease their labor. I opened the company so that young people can find jobs and not have to wander far for work…” He shared these thoughts while continuing to wrap motors, working alongside other workers…
People’s Army Newspaper
