The village of Bat Trang has been home to renowned ceramic artisans for 1500 years. But today, factory-produced goods are diminishing the domestic demand for handmade goods. But for Ngat and her family, ceramic-making is more than a job–it’s a way of life that’s been passed down for four generations. Ngat was born and raised in Bat Trang, and today she runs a workshop that is helping preserve the village’s craft history while creating reliable local jobs. Since she began running the workshop, Ngat has helped provide stable incomes for many people in her community. And now at age 59, she is preparing to hand over the leadership to her son and daughter-in-law, ensuring that the next generation will continue to develop this time-honored traditional skill.

Vietnam is one of the most populous countries in the world and stretches along the coast of the South China Sea. Beginning in 1954, Vietnam was partitioned into two countries, and was reunified in 1976. Vietnam places a high value on education and has a literacy rate of 96%. Handcrafts are also highly valued as cultural treasures; over 2700villages in Vietnam are known as "craft villages" because they have specialized in a particular handcraft for hundreds of years.