Eliminating temporary and dilapidated houses with policy credit funds

Dak Lak is striving to eliminate temporary and dilapidated houses for poor and near-poor households by 2025. Social policy credit serves as a crucial resource, helping local authorities support residents in securing stable housing and providing motivation for them to get out of poverty.

The newly spacious house of Mr. Y Dani Hdok's family (left)

Ms. Pham Thi Minh is originally from Phu Tho Province. Her husband passed away when their only child was just one year old. In 2001, she and her child moved to Thong Nhat Hamlet, Krong Ana Commune, Buon Don District, hoping for a better life. However, without land for farming and facing harsh weather conditions, her family remained trapped in poverty. They lived in a small, makeshift wooden house - scorching hot in the dry season and leaking from all sides during the rainy season. The dream of having a solid home was always on her mind.

In 2024, thanks to a VND 40 million loan from VBSP Buon Don District, additional loans from relatives, Ms. Minh and her child were able to build a nearly 60m² house with a total cost of VND 175 million. Now, her family has got out of poverty. She could cover her living expenses and debts thanks to selling Vietnamese pancakes and livestock farming. “Without government support and preferential credit loans, I don’t know when I would have been able to live in a sturdy house. I hope more poor and disadvantaged families can benefit from this policy”, she shared.

In 2025, VBSP Dak Lak Provincial Branch will continue to eliminate temporary and dilapidated houses for poor households. It plans to provide loans to around 1,000 poor households, totaling VND 40 billion, for home construction under Decree No. 28.

The long-held dream of owning a solid home has also come true for Mr. Y Dani Hdok’s family (Kla Hamlet, Dray Sap Commune, Krong Ana District). At the end of 2023, his family took a preferential loan of VND 40 million from VBSP Krong Ana, combined with other financial resources, to build a new home. The 70m² house has significantly improved their living conditions. Mr. Y Dani shared that his family was previously classified as poor household in local. Later, they received government support to build a house under Program 134, but due to its small size and deterioration over the years, living conditions for his six-member family became difficult. Now, with stable housing, his family is delighted and motivated to focus on economic development.

Not only Ms. Minh and Mr. Y Dani but also hundreds of poor and near-poor households in Dak Lak have benefited from the housing loan support program under Government Decree No. 28/2022/NĐ-CP, dated April 26, 2022. This decree outlines preferential credit policies under the National Target Program for Socio-Economic Development in Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas for the period 2021–2030, with Phase I spanning from 2021 to 2025.

VBSP Dak Lak Provincial Branch stated that in implementing Decree No. 28, the unit has coordinated with the provincial People's Committee and mass organizations to review loan applications, ensuring policy funds reach the right beneficiaries and disbursing loans quickly. In 2024, the branch flexibly used over VND 10 billion in local funds to provide loans to more than 250 households for housing expenses. As a result, many poor families were able to move into new houses in the Lunar New Year 2025.

Minh Chi