SOCIAL INNOVATION

VIDEO PITCH ONLINE ROUND 1:

Slogan Social Mantra

VHERBS – “Healthy tea for nature conservation and sustainable ethnic people’s livelihood.”

 Vision: VHERBS aims to become a leading company in the herbal tea manufacturing industry with an ecological and environmentally friendly production chain for nature conservation and sustainable development of local residents

– Mission: Provide healthy tea products with premium qualities made from sustainable process to support local residents’ livelihood and conserve the natural ecosystem

– UN Goals: VHERBS aligns with 3 UN Goals:

• Goal 12: improving sustainable production practices and minimizing ecological impacts
• Goal 3: ensuring healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
• Goal 1: lowering the proportion of the population living below the poverty line.

Target issues:

• Unhealthy Beverage Issues:

Sugar-Sweetened Beverages also known as sugary drinks, are leading sources of added sugars in the American diet. In 2011-2014, 63% of youth and 49% of adults in the United States drank an SSB on a given day, consuming an average of 143 and 145 calories from SSBs, respectively. Excess consumption of added sugars, especially from sugary drinks, contributes to the high prevalence of childhood and adolescent obesity, especially among children and adolescents who are socioeconomically vulnerable.  It also increases the risk for dental decay, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, fatty liver disease,  and all-cause mortality.
This issue is further exacerbated by the marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages to children, which increases their preference for these products.

VHERBS aims to address these social issues by providing a sustainable alternative through herbal tea manufacturing.

• Unsustainable farming practice and impoverished livelihood: 

In Hoang Su Phi district, Ha Giang province, there are only around 1600 snowshan trees in total across an estimated 18,600 hectares of land. However, the traditional, unregulated harvesting of Snow Shan leaves has been harmful both ecologically and economically. The rare Snow Shan trees, scattered across the region, are often harvested without proper regulation or supervision, leading to ecological harm and wasted resources. Additionally, the impoverished livelihoods of minority groups living in the region depend heavily on harvesting these tea leaves.

Solution

VHERBS has identified this unsustainable farming practice and impoverished livelihood as significant social concerns. By providing healthy tea products made from sustainable processes, VHERBS aims to conserve the natural ecosystem and support the livelihoods of local residents.

VHERBS also aims to address the root causes of Sugar-Sweetened Beverage (SSB) consumption and the associated social issues by offering a comprehensive social solution design centered around sustainable herbal tea production.

VHERBS offers a healthier alternative to SSBs by producing herbal teas made from sustainably harvested Snow Shan leaves. These herbal teas are free from added sugars and provide consumers with a refreshing and nutritious beverage option.

VHERBS works closely with local communities, particularly ethnic minority groups living below the poverty line in Ha Giang province, Vietnam. By providing training, equipment, and financial support to these communities, VHERBS helps them adopt sustainable harvesting practices for Snow Shan leaves, ensuring the long-term viability of the local ecosystem.

Through sustainable herbal tea production, VHERBS creates economic opportunities for local residents. By paying fair prices for Snow Shan leaves and providing training in efficient harvesting techniques, VHERBS helps to increase the income and improve the livelihoods of minority groups living in mountainous regions.