U Minh Thuong women help each other reduce poverty

Over the years, members of the Women's Union of U Minh Thuong commune have not only been good at taking care of housework but have also worked together to help the economy escape poverty. Many models of savings, loans, and small business startups have helped women's lives become more and more stable and prosperous.

Many models help women in U Minh Thuong develop the economy and escape poverty sustainably. Photo: THUY TIEN

Take advantage of resources

U Minh Thuong Commune has over 5,300 women members, of which ethnic minority members account for 4.6%. In some places, members' lives are still difficult. Faced with this situation, the Commune Women's Union, together with local authorities and sectors, has implemented many solutions to support members and women in economic development and sustainable poverty reduction. The Union links the task of poverty reduction with emulation movements and campaigns to encourage cadres, members and women to work enthusiastically, produce, actively study, and raise awareness to know how to do business.

According to Ms. Ha Thi Le Thi - President of the Women's Union of U Minh Thuong commune, more than 9,000 members and women were mobilized to participate in various types of savings of over 2 billion VND, helping women have capital for livestock, farming, and small business. In addition, 536 female workers were trained in vocational skills, 1,150 rural workers were consulted and introduced to jobs in and outside the locality. The association's facilities helped 77 poor and near-poor households escape poverty in many forms, contributing to reducing the poverty rate of the commune to 2.8% by 2025.

“To support members in economic development and effective poverty reduction, we direct the branches to closely follow the locality and clearly understand the circumstances of each poor female household. For households that do not have knowledge about farming and animal husbandry and have not found a way to develop the economy, the association will organize training and vocational training to improve skills and improve the quality of labor for members. For households that do not have capital for production, we create conditions for access to loans for development, thereby helping women increase their income and stabilize their lives,” said Ms. Ha Thi Le Thi.

Up to now, the Women's Union of U Minh Thuong commune has guaranteed and supported 897 households to borrow for economic development, with a total amount of over 90 billion VND from the Social Policy Bank. The women who have received support have all used the loan capital effectively and have had initial success in starting their businesses. In addition, the Women's Union of the commune has maintained 4 cooperative groups, production association groups and 2 business women's groups... bringing economic efficiency, contributing to poverty reduction in the locality.

A typical example is Ms. Tran Bach Tuyet. Previously, due to difficult family circumstances, Ms. Tuyet left her hometown to work far away as a factory worker. With a low income, she returned to her hometown to start a business. After the Commune Women's Union created conditions for her to access a 50 million VND preferential credit loan from the Social Policy Bank, Ms. Tuyet renovated the land to grow bananas, ginger, pineapples..., and raise fish in the pond. This model brings her family an average income of 180 million VND/year. "Thanks to the Commune Women's Union guaranteeing the loan, I have money to invest in production, cover my living expenses, and take care of my children's education," Ms. Tuyet said.

Helping women start businesses

From 2017 to now, the Women's Union of U Minh Thuong commune has actively promoted and raised awareness about employment and entrepreneurship for its members and women; supported 12 women to start businesses and start businesses; trained and improved the capacity of 13 female business owners, cooperative managers, and business owners. This support has empowered many members and women to be more proactive in the entrepreneurship movement, creating many clean, safe products associated with local characteristics.

Coming from a farming family, in 2017, Ms. Tran Thi Ngoc Lanh boldly started a business making banana candy with an initial capital of 10 million VND. Thanks to the application of information technology and creativity, she brought traditional local banana candy to consumers through social networks, earning about 100 million VND/year depending on the time. Ms. Lanh's startup model not only helps her family develop the economy but also helps members and local women have jobs. "The Siamese bananas are pressed and dried in the natural sunlight, so they retain the characteristic flavor of bananas, have high nutritional value, creating a banana candy typical of the U Minh Thuong buffer zone, the land known as the "banana kingdom", Ms. Lanh shared.

With her passion, initiative and the support and companionship of the Commune Women's Union, Ms. Nguyen Thi Ly confidently started a business with nutritious bean powder. Initially, she made it mainly for her family, then for relatives and acquaintances. Gradually, the product gained the trust of users, so she expanded its sales to the market. "Previously, my family grew many types of beans, but the output was unstable. In 2019, I switched to starting a business with nutritious bean powder. Because of the clean beans grown at home, many customers trusted it, thanks to which my family had more income," Ms. Ly shared.

“Through practical work, in the coming time, the association will promote many effective ways. In addition, it will research new models, create the best conditions for women to reduce poverty; enhance women's economic power, and gradually promote the role of women in local socio-economic development,” Ms. Ha Thi Le Thi emphasized.

Narcissus

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/phu-nu-u-minh-thuong-giup-nhau-giam-ngheo-a465279.html