Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation of Bangladesh conduct study tours to VBSP

(VBSP News) Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation of Bangladesh (PKSF) dispatched two turns of expert delegations to pay study tours for learning experience of lending to the poor in the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies from 25th Feb to 6th Mar 2009 and 15th to 29th June 2009.

Field visit to Quang Ninh Branch of VBSP

PKSF is a wholesale microfinance bank established by the Bangladeshi Government in May 1990. PKSF operates for the non-profit purpose by providing wholesale of soft credit for POs in the community. At present, PKSF has directly extended wholesale lending to 233 POs, as a result, indirectly supported 5.74 million poor households with outstanding loans of over USD 02 billion.

The goal of the study tour is to learn successful experiences about microfinance models, agricultural development and services combining with agricultural technology, marketing and micro insurance in Vietnam.

During the time of studying and exchanging experienced lessons in VBSP, the delegations paid a field visit in VBSP's branches of Quang Ninh, Bac Giang, Can Tho provinces as well as representative office in Ho Chi Minh city  to get more understanding on Vietnam's microfinance. They simultaneously visited and listened to presentations of professors and doctors from Hanoi University of Agriculture, Academy of Agricultural Mechanism Sciences, Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Binh Minh MFI.

After the study tour is completed, the Bangladeshi delegations are expected to attain much important knowledge and experienced lessons in terms of applying Vietnam's microfinance to improve production and combine loans with agricultural extension, training skills and marketing of agricultural products, micro insurance and especially lending to poor households through microfinance products and services.