Grantee Spotlight: Trang Le

The purpose of Trang’s project, Making the Voices of Young Key Female Populations Heard, was to highlight the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) needs of ethnic minority girls and young women from Vietnam’s northern area and lesbians and transgender women in the capital city of Hanoi – groups of people that are often disenfranchised – in order to increase awareness of the realities these groups face when accessing contraception.

To meet her project goal, Trang trained 25 ethnic minority girls and young women in SRHR. Before the two-day training, only 32% of participants knew the definition of reproductive health. By the end, 96% knew the correct definition. The participants also received information on various contraceptive methods, including male and female condoms, oral contraceptives, the implant, and intrauterine devices (IUD).

During the training Trang taught participants how to use PhotoVoice, which is a research method that promotes the ethical use of photography for positive social change. Equipped with new skills, the participants returned to their villages to collect photos and stories documenting others’ experiences related to SRHR. Using the photos and stories collected, Trang created an e-book featuring 120 stories. Published in both English and Vietnamese, it is the first e-book of its kind in Vietnam and is a useful advocacy tool that amplifies the voices and experiences of girls and young women.