The journey of reaping the rewards from policy-based credit in Hai Lang.

Social policy credit is one of the major policies of the Party and State, embodying a profound humanitarian spirit aimed at eradicating hunger and poverty, providing capital support to low-income and disadvantaged households to help them improve their lives, and contributing to ensuring social security. Through more than 20 years of implementing preferential credit policies for the poor and other policy beneficiaries, and more than 10 years of implementing Directive No. 40-CT/TW dated November 22, 2014, of the Central Party Secretariat on strengthening the Party's leadership over social policy credit work (Directive No. 40) in Hai Lang district, it has been shown that social policy credit has become a "bright spot" and a "pillar" in the system of poverty reduction policies, making a significant contribution to helping the locality achieve the goals of eradicating hunger and poverty, ensuring social security, and building new rural areas.

Lesson 1: Awakening the desire to escape poverty

In the journey of building and developing Hai Lang district, the aspiration to escape poverty has been awakened by practical policies and guidelines of the Party and State, including Government Decree No. 78/2002/ND-CP on policy credit for the poor and other policy beneficiaries and Directive No. 40-CT/TW of the Central Party Secretariat. Thanks to a large capital source and a system of 253 savings and loan groups operating in 71 villages, hamlets and residential areas, the Hai Lang District Branch of the Social Policy Bank has focused on mobilizing resources and promptly and safely transferring preferential capital to the right beneficiaries, contributing to the successful implementation of the sustainable poverty reduction program and fulfilling the criteria for building the district to achieve the new rural standard.

" Giving someone a fishing rod" to develop the economy.

Present at the Hai Khe Commune People's Committee hall on the regular transaction day of February 18, 2025, we witnessed the joy and excitement of the people as they came to conduct transactions and complete procedures to access preferential loan sources. For Mr. Tran Van Tuyen's family in Tham Khe village, this transaction day was very special because it was the third time he and his wife had come to complete procedures to access policy loans from the Hai Lang District Branch of the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies to preserve and develop the traditional net weaving craft of their family and hometown.

Mr. Tuyen said that in 2022, with a 50 million VND loan from the Social Policy Bank's job creation program, he had additional resources to improve his weaving loom and purchase new tools and materials, determined to preserve his traditional craft. In 2024, after fully repaying the principal and interest on the 50 million VND loan on time, Mr. Tuyen's family received an additional 100 million VND from the job creation loan program to expand their market, stockpile raw materials and goods, and develop their production and business activities.

Thanks to access to preferential loans from the Social Policy Bank, Mr. Tran Van Tuyen, in Hai Khe commune, Hai Lang district, has more resources to preserve and develop the traditional net weaving craft - Photo: HT

"Previously, using a hand loom, almost all the processes were done manually, which was very laborious, and we could only weave about 15 meters of netting per day. Now, with the same loom but after improvements and adding a motor to make the machine run faster, my wife and I can weave more than 150 meters of netting per day, 10 times more than before."

"With the current selling price, after deducting expenses, my wife and I earn an average of 200,000 to 300,000 VND per day. Furthermore, while sticking with this traditional craft, the pressure of environmental issues demands that we have a long-term solution. Therefore, today, our family is continuing the process of applying for a loan to address clean water and sanitation issues, investing in wastewater and environmental treatment processes at our household, contributing to ensuring environmental protection in the craft village," Mr. Tuyen shared.

As for Ms. Pham Thi Quynh Phuong, residing in Hamlet 1, Dien Sanh town, to achieve the stable life she has today, she will never forget the help of the staff of the Social Policy Bank and the members of the local savings and loan group.

Ms. Phuong confided: “For 15 years of making a living in a foreign land, I always cherished the dream of one day bringing industrial garment manufacturing back to my village to develop my family's economy and create jobs, increasing income for members and women in my hometown. In March 2018, that dream became a reality when, in addition to the small amount of money I had saved, I received a loan of 50 million VND from the Social Policy Bank's job creation program to start operating the Quynh Phuong garment factory.”

After overcoming many ups and downs and difficulties, the facility gradually became more efficient, creating stable jobs for 20 local women with incomes ranging from 5-9 million VND per month. From the initial 5 sewing machines, the facility has now expanded its area threefold with over 20 sewing machines operating at full capacity to complete orders on time and according to the requirements of its partners.

Thanks to my successful business, I have more resources to take better care of the lives of my workers, especially women in difficult circumstances who are frequently ill. I hope that in the future I will continue to have access to more preferential loan sources from the Social Policy Bank to help more local workers find jobs and stable incomes right in their hometown.”

The Quynh Phuong garment processing facility, located in Hamlet 1, Dien Sanh town, Hai Lang district, operates efficiently and has created jobs for many local women workers - Photo: HT

These are just two of many households in Hai Lang district that have escaped poverty and legitimately become wealthy thanks to the support of social policy credit funds. With the motto "Leaving no one behind, including the poor and vulnerable," policy funds have truly become a part of people's lives, positively impacting the poor. They are distributed to 100% of communes and towns in the district, helping the poor and policy beneficiaries access capital conveniently and promptly, gradually stabilizing their lives and achieving a better standard of living.

Realizing the dream of having a home and raising children to receive an education.

The effectiveness of policy credit brings not only economic value but, more importantly, addresses social issues and gradually improves the daily essential needs of a significant portion of the poor and vulnerable.

For example, in the case of Ms. Phan Thi Hue and her children in Hamlet 1, Dien Sanh town, policy-based credit has empowered poor but studious students to confidently enter university.

With a glimmer of hope in her eyes when mentioning her two sons, Ms. Hue shared: “In 2020 and 2023, my sons, Duong Viet Anh Dung and Duong Viet Hung, respectively received acceptance letters to Da Nang University of Technology. Coming from a poor household, and with my husband having passed away early due to a serious illness, I didn't dare share in their joy because, for me, providing enough food for them to eat every day was already a huge burden, so how could I possibly cover the costs of their education throughout their university studies?”

Just when we were struggling and didn't know where to turn, my children and I were overwhelmed with joy when we were introduced to and helped access preferential student loans from the Social Policy Bank branch in Hai Lang district, totaling over 100 million VND, to support our children's education. Currently, Dung is in his 5th year of university, and Hung is in his 2nd year.

Although our family circumstances are still very difficult, I believe in a bright future because my children are growing up, becoming more mature, well-behaved, and always determined to study hard so that after graduation they will have stable jobs and repay the bank loan on time. My family, like other disadvantaged families, is very grateful for this humane policy. Because without that funding, pursuing higher education at university or college would be very difficult for our children, and they could drop out at any time..."

The Hai Lang District Branch of the Social Policy Bank disburses loans to residents of Hai Khe commune - Photo: HT

This moment also marks the most meaningful and happiest milestone for the family of Ms. Tran Thi Thanh Nhan, residing in Hamlet 3, Dien Sanh town, as their dilapidated single-story house has been transformed into a spacious new home of nearly 160 square meters, recently completed. It is known that Ms. Nhan and her husband are both teachers with low incomes and a need to build a new house. Therefore, at the beginning of 2024, the District Social Policy Bank disbursed a loan of 500 million VND under the social housing program, with a loan term of 15 years.

Ms. Nhan confided: “Previously, my husband and I explored many loan packages from commercial banks, but the high interest rates forced us to put our house-building plans on hold. The social housing loan program of the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies is very reasonable and humane, giving my family the opportunity to build a decent home. With a new house, my children have their own space to study and play, and all family activities are more convenient and stable. I can also focus on my work with peace of mind.”

As the last district of Quang Tri province to be liberated after the war, Hai Lang had an extremely low starting point. It was a rice-only farming area, with more than two-thirds of its land in low-lying, waterlogged areas, and production entirely dependent on the weather. Natural disasters occurred frequently, infrastructure was lacking, and the lives of the people faced countless difficulties.

Faced with this reality, the Party Committee, government, and people of the entire district have sought appropriate solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and gradually improve the material and spiritual lives of the people. This includes the strong and widespread implementation of Government Decree No. 78/2002/ND-CP on policy credit for the poor and other policy beneficiaries, and Directive 40-CT/TW of the Party Central Committee on strengthening the Party's leadership over social policy credit.

The effectiveness of policy credit funds has unleashed local potential and truly become an effective tool, contributing to the locality achieving many impressive results in economic development, ensuring social security, and building new rural areas.

Ha Trang - Thanh Truc

Lesson 2: Ensuring timely and effective disbursement of policy funds

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/hanh-trinh-gat-qua-ngot-tu-von-tin-dung-chinh-sach-o-hai-lang-191910.htm