Helping underprivileged students "weave" their dreams of knowledge.

(Baohatinh.vn) - Policy-based funding has empowered thousands of underprivileged students in Ha Tinh to pursue their academic dreams, confidently enter university, affirm their capabilities and intelligence, and change their future.

In her old, dilapidated house, devoid of any valuable possessions, Mrs. Le Thi Dong (51 years old, Kim Hoa commune) - a mother of three children currently attending university - remains cheerful and proud.

How could she not be proud when her children are all well-behaved, academically excellent, and have been admitted to prestigious universities with high scores? This hardworking mother is always grateful to the Party, the State, and the valuable capital from the Social Policy Bank's student loan program, which has helped her children not abandon their educational dreams.

Ms. Le Thi Dong (in the middle) cherishes the capital provided by the Social Policy Bank, which enabled her three children to attend university.

Mrs. Dong confided: “My husband and I spent our days working in the fields, doing whatever jobs we could find, yet life was still difficult. When our daughter, Nguyen Phan Thi Linh (born in 2003), received her acceptance letter from the Banking Academy, I cried silently every night because we couldn't afford to send her to school. Out of love for her parents, she went to the South to work as a factory worker. She was studious and academically gifted, but not being able to continue her education broke my heart. The worry about her interrupted education lingered in my husband and me. Then, we decided to borrow policy-based loans so she could return to university. She quit her factory job and the following year passed the entrance exam to the University of Economics and Industrial Engineering. Without the Social Policy Bank, her education would have been extremely difficult.”

Ms. Dong continued: “Following in my sister's footsteps, my two younger siblings also entered university with a solid foundation from the Social Policy Bank. Our parents are poor, and we borrowed over 200 million dong for our children's university education. We knew it would be overwhelming, but we still gritted our teeth so our children could pursue their dreams. After they graduate and find jobs, the debt will be repaid – thinking that makes all our worries disappear. The best thing for parents like us is seeing our children grow up, gain knowledge, and have a bright future.”

Ms. Le Thi Dong's family is one of many disadvantaged households who have boldly borrowed student loan funds from the Huong Son branch of the Social Policy Bank.

Ms. Dao Thi Thai Binh, Director of the Huong Son Branch of the Vietnam Social Policy Bank, stated: “The student loan program under Decision No. 157/2007/QD-TTg and Decision No. 05/2022/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister is a deeply humane credit program, demonstrating the concern of the Party and the State for the younger generation; creating resources and a support system for poor students to pursue their academic dreams. Many poor households in the former Huong Son district have accessed loans, determined to prevent their children from dropping out of school. Some families have borrowed hundreds of millions of dong to support 4-5 children studying at university. As of July 31, 2025, the total outstanding loan balance of the student loan program at our unit is nearly 47 billion dong, with 839 customers still having outstanding loans.”

Despite the difficult circumstances, the fact that his three children were able to attend university is an immeasurable source of happiness for Mr. Hoang Kim Hoai.

At the Cam Xuyen branch of the Social Policy Bank, outstanding loans under the student loan program have also increased over the years.

The family of Mr. Hoang Kim Hoai (55 years old, Thien Cam commune) is famous for its three academically gifted children, and neighbors admire them even more for boldly borrowing hundreds of millions of dong to support their children's education. Their three children are studying at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Information Technology, the Military Medical Academy, and the National Economics University, respectively.

Mr. Hoai said emotionally, “My wife and I have always believed that even if parents eat meager meals, they must not let their children be deprived of education. We are proud that our children excel in their studies and appreciate every penny of the loan from the Social Policy Bank. This summer, our eldest son, Hoang Kim Cuong (born in 2000), graduated from the Ho Chi Minh City University of Information Technology with high marks. That is the first sweet fruit of our labor, and we hope he will apply the knowledge he has learned to his work and build a bright future.”

Mr. Hoang Kim Hoai's third child is currently a second-year student at the National Economics University.

Mr. Nguyen Van Duc, Director of the Cam Xuyen Branch of the Social Policy Bank, informed: "The total outstanding loan balance for the student loan program at our unit currently reaches over 22.4 billion VND, with 381 students currently benefiting."

Over the years, the capital has proven effective, helping poor students realize their dreams. Many students have graduated, found good jobs, and repaid their loans on time. This is a source of happiness not only for the students' families but also for us – the staff of the Social Policy Bank – with our "mission" to bring humane capital to those in difficult circumstances, illuminating the lives of poor students in Ha Tinh.

Officials from the Social Policy Bank inspect loan funds and assess the loan needs of students ahead of the new school year.

Mr. Phan Ngoc Vu, Deputy Head of the Planning and Credit Operations Department of the Social Policy Bank of Ha Tinh province, said: The total outstanding loan balance of the student loan program of the Social Policy Bank of Ha Tinh currently reaches over 733.6 billion VND with 1,913 students benefiting.

Ahead of the 2025-2026 school year, the Social Policy Bank is coordinating efforts to strengthen policy communication so that people can understand and access policies; coordinating with local communities to identify and identify high school graduates who need to pursue higher education, college, or vocational training, thereby facilitating access to loans and contributing to improving the quality of education and promoting social development.

Source: https://baohatinh.vn/giup-sinh-vien-ngheo-det-uoc-mo-tri-thuc-post293881.html