Women's 'pillar of support'

In 2026, the Tinh Thuong Microfinance Limited Company (TYM) will collaborate with women's associations at all levels in Hai Phong to improve the quality of its operations, support women in accessing appropriate financial services, and help them stabilize their livelihoods.

TYM staff from the Hai Phong branch disbursed and provided loan support to female members of Phu Ninh commune (now Viet Khe commune).

Timely support

Having spent many years working in the fields, Ms. Nguyen Thi My, residing in Lao Phong 2 village, Kien Thuy commune, primarily engaged in agriculture , combined with livestock farming and small-scale trading at the local market. Unstable income and limited accumulated capital made it difficult for her family to expand production. Thanks to a 50 million VND loan from TYM, repayable in 13 installments, she was able to invest in shrimp farming and import more goods for sale at the market. This timely access to capital allowed her family to be more proactive in production and livestock farming, leading to a more stable income.

Meanwhile, Ms. Hoang Thi Linh from Dong Giao village, Cam Giang commune, joined TYM in 2021 and received a loan of 100 million VND to invest in and expand her timber trading business. Thanks to the effective use of the capital, her family's business has grown steadily, generating an income of approximately 30 million VND per month. The model also provides regular employment for 5 local workers with stable incomes, contributing to the promotion of rural economic development.

By the end of 2025, Kien Minh commune had 198 customers borrowing capital from TYM, operating in 9 clusters, with a total outstanding loan balance of over 4.3 billion VND. During the year, TYM disbursed over 6.7 billion VND to 140 loan recipients. The amount of disbursed capital has steadily increased over the years, reflecting the growing demand and effectiveness of capital utilization. To achieve this result, Ms. Nguyen Thi Xuyen, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of the commune and Chairwoman of the Women's Union of the commune, informed that the Union proactively coordinated with TYM staff from the Hai Phong branch and Transaction Office No. 2 to disseminate and implement loan programs to each branch and women's group. The Women's Union of the commune directly participated in managing, supervising, and supporting members throughout the loan process and capital utilization, promptly resolving any arising difficulties.

According to Nguyen Van Nhat, Director of TYM's Hai Duong branch, after implementing the two-tiered local government model, the coordination between grassroots Women's Unions and TYM has become increasingly clear and effective. Union officials directly go to villages and residential areas to understand the needs and encourage women. This is an important factor helping TYM expand its coverage and improve the quality of its activities. Thanks to this coordinated effort, in the fourth quarter of 2025, TYM's Hai Duong branch expanded its operations to an additional 6 communes and wards, bringing the total number of units with TYM to 46 communes and wards. The total number of loan and savings customers reached 8,588 people, completing 103% of the plan; outstanding loans reached VND 119.9 billion, achieving 100.9% of the plan, and the repayment rate reached 100%.

Representatives from TYM's Hai Phong branch presented Tet gifts to poor and near-poor households as part of the "Warmth with TYM" program, and awarded scholarships to children of customers who achieved excellent academic results in the "Wings of Dreams" program in Tien Minh commune.

Expanding access opportunities for disadvantaged women.

Following the merger, TYM has now expanded its operations to 83 out of 114 communes, wards, and special zones in Hai Phong, attracting nearly 18,000 customers, exceeding the set target. TYM Hai Phong has provided capital support to nearly 9,000 loan applications with a total amount exceeding 424.7 billion VND. TYM's savings activities continue to grow strongly, with a total balance of over 162 billion VND, an increase of more than 37% compared to 2024. During the implementation process, TYM staff visited each village and household to introduce easy access to loans, requiring no collateral, with quick procedures and no application fees, contributing to limiting the problem of illegal lending. However, there are still 31 communes and wards without TYM due to staff changes after the merger. The customer participation rate in each cluster remains low, at 27.78 customers/cluster; some customers make late payments. Some association units have not fully grasped the situation, believing that TYM is a credit institution outside the association system, and therefore have not actively promoted and encouraged its use.

To strive for the addition of 18 new units to TYM activities this year, Ms. Tran Thu Huong, Vice Chairwoman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of the city and Chairwoman of the City Women's Union, proposed that all levels of the Women's Union unify their understanding of TYM as an official microfinance organization directly under the Vietnam Women's Union. From there, they should strengthen close and effective coordination in implementing the Union's comprehensive microfinance strategy. All levels of the Women's Union should proactively advise local Party committees and authorities to create favorable conditions regarding facilities, working locations, cluster meetings, and capital disbursement for TYM. Furthermore, they should promote the role, products, and services of TYM, encourage members to participate in borrowing capital, saving, repaying loans on time, and maintaining a zero-overdue debt rate…

According to TYM Deputy General Director Nguyen Binh Hanh, in the coming time, TYM will prioritize expanding access to finance for poor women, vulnerable women, and women entrepreneurs; linking lending activities with sustainable livelihood development and improving the efficiency of capital utilization. Along with that, TYM will continue to improve service quality, innovate service methods, promote digital transformation in management and microfinance product provision; and strengthen training and capacity building for TYM staff and Women's Union staff involved in coordination and entrusted work.

NGUYEN NGUYEN

Source: https://baohaiphong.vn/diem-tua-cua-phu-nu-534059.html