As a stay-at-home mom in Buon Ma Thuot in Dak Lak, Kieu Thi Nga (born 1990) wanted to earn extra income to help her family. In 2023, noticing the popularity of sticky rice and sweet soups for ceremonies, she decided to learn the craft.

Starting with a few experimental batches, Nga researched and joined online cooking groups to hone her cooking skills. She hoped to have a stable source of income and have time to take care of her children.

This decision led the mother of five to a career crafting first-birthday ceremonial trays for newborns. Her tiny kitchen became a space of creativity and healing, bringing joy to her and other families with young children.

“At first, I had no capital or formal training in arranging trays or color coordination, so I relied on instinct and personal taste. Later, I learned from social media, identified mistakes, and studied color matching and tray arrangement. Sometimes I stayed up late at night redoing trays until I was satisfied,” Nga said.

A complete tray includes not only sticky rice, floating sweet dumplings and jelly but also cream puffs, donut towers, and hand-decorated cookies. According to Nga, color coordination and arrangement are key to capturing attention.

Preparing a ceremonial tray takes time and demands precision. Nga believes only those passionate about the craft can muster the patience to do it.

Nga’s trays shoen on social media have received positive feedback. Encouraged by praise from fellow cooking enthusiasts, she has gained confidence in her choice.

Few know the heart-wrenching pain Nga carries. Two of her five children have cerebral palsy. Her eldest, 15, is healthy; her second child, 13, and her third, 6, had cerebral palsy but passed away recently; her fourth is aged 4; and her youngest is 1.5 years old.

“Raising five children is exhausting, and caring for two with cerebral palsy drains me further. But that’s why I must keep going. I don’t allow myself to stop,” she said.

Incurring the pain of losing her child, the needs of her other children, and sleepless nights, Nga grows stronger and more resilient.

When she first pursued her passion for crafting ceremonial trays, Nga feared she wouldn’t get orders. With economic burdens weighing heavily, she prayed her efforts would be embraced.

“My first order was over 50km from home. Now, I get orders of varying value—small ones under VND1 million, larger ones up to VND20 million,” she said.

Tu Linh