Effective use of concessional loans from the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies (VBSP) has been seen as a "key” for poor households and policy beneficiaries in the mountainous district of Da Bac to improve income and better the quality of life towards sustainable poverty reduction.
An
official from the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies’ Da Bac district branch
studies capital demand from a Da Bac local.
As the only impoverished district of Hoa Binh
province, Da Bac has a great demand for this kind of loans. Over the past
years, Da Bac is one of the localities with the highest amount of outstanding
debt.
To date, total outstanding credit in the
district has topped 546 billion VND (22.58 million USD), with nearly 14,000
customers. During January – October, 1,896 impoverished households and policy
beneficiaries got access to some 75.5 billion VND in preferential loans, helping
them develop business models to get out of poverty.
With 56.7 billion VND of concessional loans
granted to more than 1,000 households, Tu Ly is the commune with the largest
amount of outstanding credit in Da Bac district. From the outset of the year, 240 households in
the commune have been able to take out loans from the VBSP.
According to an official from the communal
People’s Committee, the loans have an important role to play in alleviating
poverty and building new-style rural areas. Meanwhile, Vice Chairman of the People’s
Committee of Hien Luong commune Xa Van Hoe described them as a locomotive for
the residents to improve income, and help the commune meet the advanced
standards of the new-style rural area building.
Xa Van Huy in Doi hamlet invested 100 million
VND that he took from the bank in tens of fish cages. To date, the fish cage
model has earned his family a stable income.
Statistics from Hien Luong commune showed that
total outstanding credit in the commune has neared 22 billion VND so far.
During January – October, the VBSP gave preferential loans to 116 households,
helping generate jobs for 11 labourers and renovate and build 140 clean water
facilities.
Director of the VBSP’s Da Bac district branch
Nguyen Binh Nam said the bank will mobilise more resources to meet the capital
demand of the local residents, contributing to realising the district’s
socio-economic development and poverty reduction targets, and ensuring social
security.
Creating jobs for labourers in general and young people in particular is currently a focus of the province, with vocational training linked to job creation considered one of the strategic breakthrough solutions.
A total of 30 intergenerational self-help clubs (ISHC) have been established in Hoa Binh province under the project "Reducing Income- and Health-Related Vulnerability of Older Persons in Vietnam" (VIE071) since 2021.
Nguyen Thi Nu, a resident of Thach Ly sub-area in Da Bac township of Da Bac district, has been popular in the area as a simple woman that is rich in compassion. For nearly 10 years, she has spread her kindness through many charity activities to ease difficulties for the needy.
Voluntary blood donation (HMTN) is a noble and humane gesture. 24 years ago, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 43/2000/QD-TTg on mobilizing and encouraging Voluntary blood donation and designated April 7 every year as "All-People Voluntary blood donation Day”. This is an important milestone in the movement of voluntary blood donation, creating a strong change in the awareness and action at all levels of the government and people from all walks of life.
Yen Thuy is aiming to become a new-style rural district by 2025. To achieve this goal, the district has been mobilising the entire political system and local people to early fulfil required criteria.
From a normal bamboo tree, Nguyen Van Nam in Yen Tri commune, Yen Thuy district has transformed it into a "bamboo dragon". His works have been present in many countries.