When Women Lead, Communities and Reefs Thrive: Hòn Yến’s Story

A story of women’s leadership, community finance, and the coral reefs that sustain them.

It was a hot day, and my very first mission in Asia. As we walked into the community house in Hòn Yến, something struck me immediately: the leaders had come to the community to listen, not the other way around.

That shift in perspective, where leaders listen to communities, lies at the heart of the finance solution in Hòn Yến. Here, protecting coral reefs and creating livelihoods are two sides of the same coin, driven not by external actors but by the people who depend on the reefs every day.

A warm welcome from Women’s Union leaders and community members in Hòn Yến, where women are leading the way in linking livelihoods with coral reef protection.

Vietnam’s Progress, But Gender Gaps Persist

Viet Nam’s story over the last three decades is remarkable. Poverty has fallen from 28.9% in 2002 to 9.6% in 2012, and just 4.06% in 2024. The strides made in social progress have not only fostered inclusivity but also bolstered Viet Nam’s overall development landscape. Yet women still face significant barriers: they remain underrepresented in leadership, concentrated in vulnerable jobs, burdened with unpaid care, and lacking access to adequate support. These inequalities shape not only women’s opportunities but also how communities build resilience in the face of environmental challenges.

Tourism Nurturing Conservation

Hòn Yến, located about 20 km from Tuy Hòa in Phú Yên Province, is home to 12.7 hectares of coral reefs that sustain the livelihoods of more than 2,000 residents. However, as tourism grew, so did the challenges, including overfishing, litter, and coral damage. To address these issues, the Hòn Yến Service and Ecology Cooperative (Eco-Coop) was established with support from BIOFIN, UNDP Viet Nam, the GEF Small Grants Programme, and the Women’s Unions of Phú Yên Province and An Hòa Hải Commune.

The Women’s Union plays a central role, bridging community and local authorities, ensuring women are equally represented, and building their skills in financial management and tourism.

The finance solution is simple yet powerful: community-led tours and services from coral reef excursions to homestays and local products generate revenue that is reinvested into both conservation and livelihoods. Part of the income supports reef protection through patrols, buoys, and clean-ups, while the rest strengthens women’s businesses, training, and community services. In this way, tourism becomes a direct driver of conservation.

Women at the Heart

The cooperative has shifted women from the margins to the center of decision-making. Women now guide tours, cook for visitors, run homestays, and sell local products. They also speak directly to local leaders and tourists, building confidence and visibility.

As Cooperative Director Nguyen Thi Phan explained:

“Every tour we run sets aside 15% of the revenue for coral conservation - for buoys, equipment, and clean-ups. The men often patrol the reefs, while women guide tours, share our food, and sell local products. What has changed most is confidence: women now speak directly to leaders and tourists about our work, something we never imagined before.”

As Director of the Hòn Yến Cooperative, Nguyen Thi Phan highlights how every tour contributes to reef protection, while women take leading roles as guides, cooks, and entrepreneurs.

Mrs. Huỳnh Thị Kim On, once a lifelong net-fixer, reflected:

“I have been fixing nets for decades, but joining the cooperative gave me a new sense of pride. When the project consultants showed us a tourism map of what our community could offer, it was the first time we saw a bigger picture. Now I feel part of something larger, not just fishing but protecting our home together.

Mrs. Huỳnh Thị Kim On, long known in her village as a skilled net-fixer, is now weaving more than fishing nets — she is helping shape a cooperative that protects coral reefs and sustains her community.

A Fisherman’s View

For fisherman Duong Ngoc Thang, the link between livelihoods and conservation is clear:

“During this summer, we earned six million dong per month. But part of our job is guiding tourists on how to interact with coral reefs. Since 2022, the reefs have been healthier. Women are very active in speaking up for environmental protection. If they see someone littering, they are the first to say something.”

Mr. Duong Ngoc Thang, a fisherman in Hòn Yến, explains how guiding tourists on coral protection has become as much a part of his work as fishing itself

Global Relevance – From Coastal Village to Kunming-Montreal

Though rooted in one fishing village, the Hòn Yến finance solution carries lessons with global significance. It shows how gender equality and biodiversity finance can reinforce one another - exactly what Target 23 of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework calls for.

For UNDP Vietnam Resident Representative Ramla Khalidi, this model is emblematic of what inclusive solutions can achieve:

“Community-based finance solutions like Hòn Yến demonstrate how gender equality and environmental stewardship go hand in hand. When women gain opportunities and a voice, entire communities benefit - and so does nature. Supporting them is not only fair, but also the foundation of resilience.”

Lessons Learned

Hòn Yến is still small in scale, but its lessons are profound:

• Projects must involve both communities and leaders to endure.
• Women’s empowerment is inseparable from conservation success.
• Finance solutions that reinvest revenue in nature create cycles of resilience.

As I left the island after my first mission, I carried with me not only the heat of the day but also the warmth of a community redefining what development can look like: women and men, together, protecting their home and shaping their own future.

Beyond Hòn Yến: The BIOFIN Approach

The Hòn Yến model is part of a larger global effort led by the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN). BIOFIN works in over 130 countries to design and implement finance solutions that unlock resources for nature and now, increasingly also for gender equality. The common thread is simple: creating mechanisms where communities benefit directly from protecting ecosystems. In Viet Nam, Hòn Yến demonstrates how this approach works on the ground - linking gender equality, sustainable livelihoods, and coral reef conservation into a single cycle of resilience.

From fixing nets to guiding tours, from listening to speaking up, the women of Hòn Yến are proving that nature and gender resilience go hand in hand. Local in scale but global in relevance, their work is a seed of change that inspires us all.