Summary of the Digital Education Program for Vulnerable Groups in Vietnam

On the morning of November 6, in Hanoi, the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies (VBSP) and The Asia Foundation held a closing ceremony for the Digital Education Program for Vulnerable Groups in Vietnam. The program is part of Phase II of the project "Mobile Banking Services - Financial Inclusion and Economic Empowerment for Low-Income Individuals and Women in Vietnam".

Mr. Hoang Minh Te - Deputy General Director of VBSP delivered a speech at the closing ceremony

The closing ceremony was attended by Mr. Filip Graovac, Deputy Country Representative of The Asia Foundation; Deputy General Directors of VBSP: Mr. Hoang Minh Te - Head of the VBSP Mobile Banking Project Management Board and Mr. Huynh Van Thuan; Representatives from functional departments, including the IT Center, Transaction Offices and VBSP Hanoi, Thanh Hoa, Son La, Hung Yen, Hai Duong, Quang Ninh, Dak Lak, and Kien Giang provincial branch. These branches were recognized for their outstanding implementation of the Digital Education Program.

Since 2019, The Asia Foundation has partnered with VBSP to implement the "Mobile Banking Services - Financial Inclusion and Economic Empowerment for Low-Income Individuals and Women in Vietnam" project. The initiative aims to enhance access to inclusive financial services for low-income households, the poor and other policy beneficiaries, with a special focus on women-led micro-enterprises. Over nearly five years, the project has successfully integrated digital technology into VBSP’s operations.

In 2023, during its expansion phase, The Asia Foundation supported VBSP in launching a mobile-based Digital Education Program. This self-learning program offers online training through video lessons available in the Digital Education section of VBSP's Policy Credit Management Application. This app supports VBSP staff, mass organization officers, and community leaders in loan management and policy credit processes effectively.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Hoang Minh Te - Deputy General Director highlighted VBSP’s 22-year journey as a "shining example" in poverty reduction and socio-economic development. The bank’s total policy capital now exceeds VND 375 trillion, serving over 6.6 million low-income and policy beneficiaries through 169,000 savings and credit groups and nearly 10,500 transaction points.

VBSP has actively contributed to the National Financial Inclusion Strategy 2025-2030, approved by the Prime Minister under Decision No. 149/QD-TTg on January 22, 2020. The Digital Education Program equips VBSP customers with basic digital literacy, enhancing their online safety and enabling them to protect themselves and their families on social media and the Internet. Additionally, the program provides foundational e-commerce skills, empowering small business owners and micro-entrepreneurs to expand and improve their businesses.

Deputy Country Representative of The Asia Foundation, Filip Graovac, delivered a speech at the event

The Digital Education Program was implemented across 20 VBSP’s branches in various provinces and cities. It consists of two training components: Basic Digital Education (Go Digital) and Advanced Digital Education (Grow Digital), targeting VBSP customers engaged in small-scale production, business, or service activities. The program places special emphasis on women-led and developing small enterprises. Go Digital includes 21 lessons covering topics such as Basic Training: Introduction to the Internet and mobile applications; Advanced Training: Online sales techniques; Development Training: Safe Internet usage. Additionally, three VBSP-specific digital education lessons focus on eeceiving information from VBSP’s online channels; VBSP Mobile Banking services; Policy Credit Management Application.

As a result, 88,577 participants completed the program, achieving 123% of the target. Of these, 55,906 were women (over 63% of total participants) and 32,646 were men (nearly 37%).

Closing ceremony scene

Grow Digital includes 20 lessons on topics such as financial literacy, business management, online business and cybersecurity, and responsible entrepreneurship. By the end of the course, 13,344 participants had completed the program, reaching 112% of the target (12,000 participants).

At the ceremony, Mr. Filip Graovac - Deputy Country Representative of The Asia Foundation praised VBSP’s efforts in helping the poor and policy beneficiaries in rural, mountainous and remote areas gradually access mobile banking services. He highlighted the positive reception of the Digital Education Program by VBSP staff and customers, emphasizing that the program is practical, accessible and well-suited to the needs of most customers. It has made a significant contribution to promoting digital and economic transformation initiatives in local communities. The Asia Foundation hopes to continue supporting VBSP in future collaborative programs.

During the ceremony, representatives from various branches shared their experiences and the results of implementing the program. They reflected on lessons learned, providing valuable insights to improve future operations.

The branches that were honored with awards at the closing ceremony

In conclusion, Mr. Hoang Minh Te - Deputy General Director expressed gratitude to The Asia Foundation for its support and collaboration in implementing the digital financial education programs for VBSP customers. He highlighted that the results of the program are an important contribution to VBSP's strategy for financial inclusion, particularly in implementing financial education and consumer protection measures for its customers.

Phan Anh – Huu Trung