Cao Van Doan, 24, residing at Hamlet No. 9, An Linh Commune, Phu Giao District, has become owner of a cricket farm invested by billions of Vietnam dong to earn nearly VND 2 billion a year. Failure fails you not Accompanied by his parents and siblings from Thai Binh Province, he chose to settle down in An Linh Commune of Phu Giao district in 2003. Hardship confronted in those years due to burden of over-crowded family. Doan quit school at his Grade 10 to help his family before deciding new career for him after plenty of jobs done. Cao Van Doan is taking care of his cricket farm He tried out household farm; however, he did not know how to choose appropriate animals to earn high yields. He did his homework of information seeking and learning through newspapers, internet and mass media. Once, he passed by a major farm of cricket and scorpion in District 9 of Ho Chi Minh City. He made his way out by contacting for crickets. By the end of 2010, Doan gathered up all his savings and loans of VND 40 million to start up with 8,000 crickets. After one month, diseases on the crickets failed him for his lack of experience in taking care of the crickets in bad weathers. Not quitting from failure, he used all the remaining money to find ways to cricket farms in Cu Chi, Hoc Mon, and Dong Nai to learn rearing techniques. Keeping in mind of “failures make success”, three months later, he started up the next rearing. “We need foam plastic boxes, buckets or plastic containers with cover. Straw, grass, water, and food should be maintained,” said Doan. “I remember the days getting through hundreds of miles to seek for selling ‘markets’; and he succeeded in purchase orders fixed with restaurants and drinking shops in Dong Nai Province and Ho Chi Minh City,” he added. And success Staying with career for nearly 3 years, he now has 1,900 boxes of crickets from the initial 100 boxes supplying to Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, Vung Tau, Dak Lak, etc. On daily basis, he supplies 60-70kg of crickets priced at VND 95,000 to 120,000 per kg while cricket for dishes may vary from VND 200,000 to VND 250,000 per kg. He offers jobs to 8 local youths who are paid VND 5 to 7 million a month. A rough calculation should make his income of nearly VND 2 billion a year. According to Doan, rearing crickets is not so hard with suitable investment for the foods are easy to be found and the hatching span is short for 9 days of birth and 28-30 days of growing up. By his own efforts, Doan has become model of youth overcoming difficulties. The central Youth’s League has awarded him with Luong Dinh Cua Award 2013. “Life is however hard, we have to bear failures to earn success. How come I should surrender to such tiny insects?” said Cao Van Doan. Reported by Tam Binh – Translated by Vi Bao