Dong Van rose out of poverty

In recent times, social policy credit activities have been systematically and effectively implemented, earning strong support from the public. These efforts have significantly transformed rural areas, especially in regions inhabited by ethnic minorities.

The residents of Lo Lo Chai Cultural and Community Tourism Village in Lung Cu Commune, Dong Van District, develop tourism by preserving and promoting their ethnic cultural identity

As of October 31, the total outstanding loans of policy credit programs in the district reached VND 427.9 billion with over 9,000 active customers. Policy funds have been allocated to all communes in Dong Van, helping the poor and eligible policy beneficiaries to be able to access preferential credit.

Opening doors to tourism development

Like many ethnic minority women, Ms. Thao Thi Dinh (from Lao Xa Village, Sung La Commune, Dong Van District) used to rely on subsistence farming, livestock raising and working as a hired laborer in China. Inspite of her hard work, she got many difficulties in her life.

"The increasing number of tourists motivated my husband and me to change our lives and boldly venture into tourism. When starting our homestay, I was worried due to a lack of knowledge, skills and capital. Fortunately, with encouragement and advice from the Women's Union in our commune and VBSP staff, I decided to take out a loan to establish a homestay called Doi Da, Ms. Dinh shared.

With her determination, Ms. Dinh visited the district center to learn about homestay operations, interior design, guest services, cooking and interaction with visitors. Through the Sung La Commune Women's Union, her family received VND 150 million in policy loans under two programs: loans for poor households and loans for rural safe water and sanitation.

With the loans and their savings, they invested in furnishing and equipping the homestay. "Since starting operations in early 2023, the homestay has not generated significant income but has helped improve our family’s finances slightly. Additionally, I could meet and interact with domestic and international tourists, helping me to learn many new things", Ms. Dinh said.

Similarly, Mr. Sung Mi Phin (from Lung Hoa B Village, Sa Phin Commune) expressed excitement about his homestay business. "Like my ancestors, I used to rely on farming and livestock, but it wasn't sustainable. I decided to establish 'Chai To' Homestay to offer unique experiences for tourists. Since officially welcoming guests in 2019, activities such as: farming, exploring agriculture on rocky terrains, collecting firewood, cloud-hunting, enjoying the H’Mong white flute music and savoring highland cuisine  have been particularly attractive to tourists interested in local culture and adventure", Mr. Phin said.

VBSP’s concessional loans have also supported Mr. Phin and his wife in their tourism journey. "Accessing policy loans has provided young families like ours with motivation and confidence to grow our homestay business. We plan to expand the homestay and develop a farmstay to serve domestic tourists better. We hope to access additional loans from VBSP to turn our dreams come true", Mr. Phin added.

Additional support from policies

According to Mr. Hau Mi Say - Chairman of the People's Committee of Sa Phin Commune, local livelihoods previously depended solely on agriculture and livestock farming. Recognizing the need to develop tourism to foster economic growth, Sa Phin Commune was designated as one of the key tourism areas in Dong Van. To implement this initiative, the district introduced programs to preserve traditional H’Mong architecture and promote tourist attractions within the commune, such as the Vuong Family Mansion and the Moon Rock Field.

Following this directive, Sa Phin Commune has guided over 20 households in accessing loans for tourism development, with total outstanding loans exceeding VND 1 billion. Alongside other resources, policy funds have played a vital role in supporting ethnic minorities and low-income households, creating livelihoods, boosting socio-economic development, and improving the material and spiritual lives of the community.

Over the years, with the concerted efforts of local authorities, the support of Ha Giang provincial departments and agencies and VBSP, social credit policies have been widely implemented. These initiatives have created a breakthrough, encouraging the community to unite, overcome challenges, and actively engage in economic production, tourism development, poverty reduction, and the building of new rural areas.

Despite being a poor district with limited budgetary resources, Dong Van has prioritized allocating funds annually to supplement VBSP's capital for lending. As of now, the district has transferred nearly VND 6.5 billion to VBSP Dong Van to provide loans to low-income households and other eligible groups. This reflects the district’s commitment to addressing local economic challenges and advancing socio-economic development.

These efforts underscore the impact of Directive No. 40-CT/TW, issued on November 22, 2014, by the Secretariat of the Party Central Committee, which emphasized strengthening the Party's leadership over social policy credit. After a decade of implementation, the directive has significantly improved lives in local communities. Mr. Do Quoc Huong - Chairman of the People's Committee of Dong Van District said: "The issuance and implementation of Directive No. 40-CT/TW is a humane and profoundly meaningful policy, particularly suited to impoverished districts and especially disadvantaged areas like Dong Van District".

Mr. Nguyen Van Huyen - Director of VBSP Dong Van District highlighted that the bank currently operates at all 19 commune-level transaction points with fixed monthly schedules, including weekends. This approach ensures that policy funds are directly delivered to the poor and other eligible groups, minimizing travel costs and familiarizing residents with banking services. Publicizing preferential policies, loan procedures, and borrowers' outstanding loans at the commune level fosters transparency and enables local authorities, mass organizations and residents to monitor and implement policy credit activities effectively.

Adding further momentum - Directive No. 39-CT/TW issued on October 30, 2024 by the Secretariat of the Party Central Committee, aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of social policy credit in the new era. This policy underscores the commitment to advancing social policy credit effectiveness and achieving the goal of becoming an upper-middle-income socialist-oriented nation by 2030.

My Ha – Hong Anh