Dream of People with Disabilities come true

Over past 20 years, the Government’s credit support policy to business units of People with Disabilities (PwDs) and households with PwDs members through Vietnam Bank for Social Policies (VBSP) has been proven effective. Owing to this credit support, many PwDs has chance to make their dreams come true.

Empowering PwDs’ Dreams...

“I cannot imagine how the fate of my company would be without VBSP’s credit support” – that is the sharing of Mr. Tran Viet Linh (50 years old), the owner of Danatre Limited Company in Hoa Vang district, Danang city.

Being blind from birth, Mr. Linh had a dream to learn bamboo and rattan production skills for not only earning income but also for assisting other PwDs who have  same difficult circumstance. From that thinking, after mastering bamboo and rattan production skills, Mr. Linh established the VPP Center for Bamboo and Rattan Production under the management of Danang Blind Association in 1997. But that time witnessed difficult time of market economy as well as severe competition among companies. “Changing technology is a clue for development” Mr.Linh knew that but financing was a real dilemma.

Then, opportunity came to him when he was introduced by Danang PwDs Association to VBSP’s lending program for PwDs with concessional interest rate. Receiving loan, he invested in purchasing equipment to build up a modern production line.

“Before that, our company had no modern equipment; we had to import material from Thanh Hoa province so the price of products was very high. Since having loan for business expansion, the turnover of our company has increased 17.6% compared to the time before”. Mr. Linh said.

One more business unit also take advantage of VBSP’s loan is VBPO Joint Stock Company – operating in Business Process Outsourcing services related to IT application.

Operating in a new field in Vietnam but not many people knows that the Chief executive officer of the company Mr. Tran Manh Huy is a PwDs. From birth, he was paralyzed; he has undergone numerous insurmountable challenges to have such success as today. Having only 15 employees at the beginning of establishment, with great efforts and loan from VBSP, VBPO’s current network has spread over the country with about 200 employees and annual revenue of over 30 billion.

Thanks to the loan support from VBSP, the company has capital resource to improve production business. The company also expands training activity and recruiting disable employees. Ms. Le Hien Hanh (28 years old) is a PwDs working in VBPO said: “I have been recruited after attending a training course of VBPO Joint Stock Company under the plan from VBSP’s loan for expanding human resource. Working in VBPO makes me realize nothing is impossible, even when we are more disadvantaged than other people. Every effort will gain success”.

Capital resource and project efficiency

Currently, Vietnam has about 6.7 million PwDs (accounting for 7.8% population),  of which 40% have ability to work and desire to have job for income earning to help their family and  integrate into community. The Government also has various favorable policies to ensure full participation and equality for PwDs in activities but the assistance cannot “cover” every PwDs due to limited budget. Budget is only enough to support PwDs who are really in difficult circumstances.

Resulting from this situation, besides continuing policy credit disbursement to PwDs, VBSP has actively mobilized other capital resources from international organizations, charity foundations for supporting to PwDs. Specifically in 2013, VBSP has cooperated with the Handicap International Organization in implementing “Employment and Social Security for PwDs in DongNai province”. The project is implemented to meet the demand of vocational training and employment of PwDs in the project regions. So far, the project has piloted lending to 10 households of PwD members with total outstanding loan of VND 140 million.

Apart from that, VBSP also cooperates with the Nippon Foundation – Japan in implementing the pilot project “Disability – Inclusive Finance: Small Finance for Businesses Employing, Serving or Owned by Persons with Disabilities” in Danang and Hanoi city. Until now, the project has disbursed loan to 44 PwDs borrowers with total outstanding loan of VND 5,120 million. The project aims to support PwDs starting, expanding their own micro or small businesses and equipping necessary skills in developing micro business during 3 years since the end of 2012. Achievements after 2 years of implementation, the loan utilization is effective, average turnover increases by 20%, average profit increases by 25% compared to the time before getting loan. 

Vice Chairwomen of Danang PwDs Association Pham Huong Giang said: “The project has practical and effective activities, meeting desire of almost PwDs in the local area, the desire of having a particular capital resource for PwDs to develop production and business activities”.

PwDs are attending in a financial education training course organized by VBSP  

Need more credit support

With experiences in managing capital resource securely and effectively as well as experiences in lending to the poor and other policy beneficiaries over one decade, projects lending to PwDs through VBSP brought about profits and advantages for PwDs.

VBSP has a wide network at communal People’s Committee that helps to minimize cost and time of transportation for borrowers. Moreover, being close with local people and living in local areas is the way to facilitate VBSP’s staff in transferring loan to right borrowers as well as supervising loan utilization effectively. For the aim of giving capital resource quickly to policy beneficiaries, especially vulnerable groups, VBSP has issued simple, convenient lending procedures. PwDs are exempted from any borrowing procedure fee. This is also a favorable condition for organizations that cooperate with VBSP in lending to PwDs.

“How to mobilize organizations at home and abroad to create concessional capital resource for PwDs” is always a concerning question for all leaders and staff of VBSP to help more PwDs over the country.