Poverty Reduction Support

( Quang Ngai Newspaper) - In recent years, using local budget funds, Son Ha district has prioritized entrusting loans to the District Branch of the Social Policy Bank to create jobs and support overseas labor export. Simultaneously, it has integrated various other programs to create opportunities for poor and disadvantaged households in ethnic minority areas to find employment, develop production and business, increase income, and achieve sustainable poverty alleviation.

Thanks to preferential loans from the Social Policy Bank, Ms. Nguyen Thi Kim Hue's family in Xa Nay village, Son Nham commune (Son Ha district) was able to buy an excavator to create jobs and increase their family income.

Giving someone a fishing rod to escape poverty.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Kim Hue, residing in Xa Nay village, Son Nham commune (Son Ha district), used to work as a factory worker in the VSIP Quang Ngai Industrial Park. However, due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, her income decreased, making life difficult. In 2021, Ms. Hue decided to quit her job and borrowed 80 million VND from the Social Policy Bank's job creation loan program to invest in her business. With her savings and the bank loan, Ms. Hue and her husband purchased an excavator to use in construction projects in the district.

According to Ms. Dinh Thi Tra, Chairwoman of the Son Ha District People's Committee, the district has recently coordinated with vocational training centers and job placement agencies inside and outside the province to organize conferences to discuss solutions for sending workers abroad. The district has assigned commune authorities to coordinate with schools to gather data on high school graduates who are not attending university, are still in the locality, or are working freelance jobs, in order to promote and encourage them to participate in overseas labor export programs. The goal is that by the end of 2023, with the resources from the targeted program supporting overseas labor export training, Son Ha district will achieve and surpass the set targets.

Ms. Hue shared, "My husband often works on construction projects, so he realized that buying an excavator would be a business opportunity. However, due to a lack of capital, we didn't know how to manage it. Thanks to the guidance of the Women's Union of the commune, my husband and I were able to access preferential loans from the Social Policy Bank to buy a means of livelihood. With our business thriving, we were able to buy another truck worth 120 million VND to transport acacia wood and cassava for people in the commune."

Similarly, Mr. Dinh Van The, from Go Chu village, Son Thanh commune (Son Ha district), also worked as a hired laborer in many places, but due to the seasonal nature of the work and unstable income, he quit his job at the beginning of 2020 and borrowed 35 million VND from the Social Policy Bank's employment program to develop his business and improve his family's living standards. With this money, Mr. The invested in planting more than 7,500 acacia trees on an area of 1.5 hectares. To date, the acacia plantation has been planted for more than 3 years, with an estimated revenue of over 100 million VND when harvested. In addition to planting acacia trees, Mr. The's family also raises 2 breeding cows and 25 laying hens to generate additional income.

According to Le Thanh Tung, Director of the Social Policy Bank Branch in Son Ha District, in 2023, the District People's Committee prioritized allocating 1 billion VND to the branch for loans to create jobs for poor and near-poor households. As of August 31, 2023, the district's entrusted capital had increased to over 7 billion VND, enabling 203 workers to access preferential credit. This has created jobs, maintained and expanded employment, and increased income for local residents, contributing to the district's annual goals of rapid and sustainable poverty reduction.

Life-changing opportunities through overseas employment.

Nuoc Bao village, Son Bao commune (Son Ha district), has over 130 households with more than 400 inhabitants. Currently, 10 people from the village are working in South Korea and Japan. Several young people are in the process of applying for overseas employment. Mr. Dinh Van Hiep, from Nuoc Bao village, is waiting for the day he returns to South Korea to continue working; this is also his second time working abroad in South Korea. Previously, in 2014, determined to improve his family's economic situation, Mr. Hiep went to South Korea under contract. After nearly 5 years, he has accumulated nearly 2 billion VND. Thanks to this, he has built a spacious house, bought household items, and invested in agricultural production. Recognizing the effectiveness of overseas employment, in 2023 he registered to work in South Korea again.

Officials from the Son Ha District Branch of the Social Policy Bank are disseminating information and guiding local residents on policies related to loans for overseas employment.

Mr. Hiep shared, "Working in South Korea, I find the work quite easy, and the salary is much higher than working back home. Although working abroad means being away from family for many years, it allows me to save a large sum of money to build a house and pay for my children's education. From what I've learned, if I go this time, the basic salary will increase to 40-50 million VND/month (previously less than 30 million VND/month). Now that I'm young, I have to work hard to earn some capital so that when I return home later, I can invest in production and business."

In the same village as Mr. Hiep, Mr. Dinh Van Dem is currently working as a carpenter in South Korea for nearly 9 years under a labor contract. Previously, Mr. Dem and his wife always struggled to make ends meet, facing many difficulties in life. In 2014, Mr. Dem received support to study and work in South Korea for a limited time. With a salary of 30 million VND per month, his family back home now enjoys a more comfortable and prosperous life.

Ms. Dinh Thi Gai (Mr. Dem's wife) shared that because the couple got married at a young age, life became even more difficult after the birth of their first child. Therefore, they discussed and agreed that her husband would go abroad for work while she stayed home to raise the child and care for her mother. Since her husband went abroad for work, their family life has improved significantly. Currently, the family has repaid the 100 million VND loan from the Social Policy Bank for his overseas employment. In addition, they have also bought a plot of land in the center of Son Bao commune to build a house.

Not only the two cases mentioned above, but from 2013-2014, many young people in Son Bao commune boldly went to work abroad and succeeded. Many young people sent money back to buy houses, land, and household amenities. This success has motivated those of working age in the commune to continue to boldly register for overseas employment. Those with prior experience support those who follow. The Son Bao commune government has also created a separate Facebook page to promote overseas employment with the message "Son Bao youth aim to work abroad under contract to sustainably alleviate poverty." According to Dinh Van Sen, Vice Chairman of the Son Bao Commune People's Committee, to date, over 30 young people from Son Bao commune have gone to work abroad. Currently, over 30 young people are studying at training centers to prepare for overseas employment.

Over the years, Son Ha district has become a shining example in sending people to work abroad under contract. Son Ha district is focusing on supporting vocational training and foreign language skills for laborers from impoverished households to work abroad under contract. Many policies are prioritized to help ethnic minority workers and those from poor and near-poor households have the opportunity to work abroad. In particular, the provision of preferential interest rate loans from the Social Policy Bank for overseas employment is being promoted to help workers cover initial costs when they leave the country.

To date, Son Ha district has 123 workers employed in South Korea, Japan, and Malaysia. In the two years of 2021-2022 alone, 17 workers from Son Ha went to work in South Korea and Japan. This success is thanks to the efforts and creativity of Son Ha district in its recruitment efforts. Currently, the demand for labor in South Korea and Japan is high, and the requirements are not overly strict. Therefore, Son Ha district recognizes this as an opportunity for young people in the district to increase their income and contribute to sustainable poverty reduction in remote, disadvantaged, and particularly difficult areas.

Text and photos: HONG HOA

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