VBSP provide credit for HIV-AIDS prevention

VBSP helps those infected with HIV, drug addicts after detoxification and rehabilitated sex workers to get loans to start businesses, self-generate income and improve their health, economic life and spiritual.

December 1st was chosen as the annual World Day of HIV-AIDS. The day not only help to increase awareness, education and fighting against stigma in the community, but also remind people that HIV still exist and humanity that still has much to do. The World Day of HIV-AIDS provides community with opportunities to take practical actions to ensure that the fundamental rights of human beings should be protected and global targets on health care, treatment and prevention of HIV-AIDS are met. Meanwhile, there will be no new HIV infections and those who have HIV can be treated and live in the sharing and support of the community with no stigma and discrimination.

Standing together with the community to share and support people living with HIV-AIDS, in addition to preferential credit programs for the poor and policy beneficiaries, VBSP also provides loans people with HIV, drug addicts after detoxification and rehabilitated sex workers through 02 preferential credit programs, i.e.:Lending to households and people living with HIV, drug addicts after detoxification, people under opiate addiction treatment by substitution drugs, rehabilitated sex workers under Decision No. 29/2014/QD-TTg dated 26/04/2014 of the Prime Minister, and Lending under the Project of providing microfinance services, creating jobs for people living with and affected by HIV-AIDS and drug addicts who are targeted by the program funded by the US Government Aid (USAID) contracted by three parties: VBSP, Chemonics Vietnam and Family Health International (FHI).

Providing micro credit to these groups has been identified as one of the strategic and effective tool to help target groups to create jobs, be ecomomic independence, reintegration into the community, contribute to reducing the vulnerability of the economy and the risk of HIV infection.

Lending to households and people living with HIV, drug addicts after detoxification, people under opiate addiction treatment by substitution drugs, rehabilitated sex workers under Decision No. 29/2014/QD-TTg dated 26/04/2014 of the Prime Minister

Currently, the program was piloted in 15 provinces and cities including Dien Bien, Son La, Lao Cai, Hoa Binh, Hanoi, Hai Phong, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Da Nang City Quang Nam, Dak Lak, Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho, Hau Giang and Bac Lieu.

Loan amount bases on needs and ability to repay loans of individuals, households and requires no mortgage but shall not exceed the prescribed maximum amount. Loan size is up to VND 20 million per individual and VND 30 million per household;

The loan purposes are procurement of supplies, livestock, poultry feed, labor tools, goods and facilities for business and trade; Investments in handicraft households business or as capital contribution to other individuals or organizations for production and business.

Currently, the program's total loan outstandings reached VND 4345.80 million with nearly 200 active borrowers.

The program initially helps those infected with HIV, drug addicts after detoxification and rehabilitated sex workers to get loans to start businesses, self-generate income and improve their health, economic life and spiritual.

The Project “Piloting microfinance services and create jobs for people living with or affected by HIV / AIDS and drug addicts after detoxification” in Ho Chi Minh city.

The Project is a part of a funding program from US Government Aid (USAID), divided into 2 stages with 2 sub-projects (FCO#610132 with VND 875 million and CO#610206 with 523,5 triệu) deployed in 03 districts in Ho Chi Minh city - District 4 district 8 and Binh Thanh District.

The project was carried out from April 2011 and completed support activities in June 2012. Currently, the project funding is still revolved, todate, total loan outstandings reached VNd 1,057.79 over 65 active customers.

The project provides microfinance services with funding and local resources to help people living with or affected by HIV/AIDS and drug addicts after detoxification, enabling them to create jobs , stabilize their lives and reintegrate into the community, contribute to reducing the economic vulnerability and the risk of HIV infection

"Determined to change the life" from VBSP’s loans

As one of the customers getting loans from the project " Piloting microfinance services and create jobs for people living with or affected by HIV / AIDS and drug addicts after detoxification" Huynh Anh D, a resident of Ward 6, District 4, Ho Chi Minh city said: Hearing that VBSP lends to drug addicts after detoxification, at first, my wife and I are very anxious, wondering if we can get a loan or not. With help from the Youth Union, the living quarter, we borrowed VND 20 million to buy a motorbike for motor-taxi. We will strive to work, not fall back into drug addicts and pay interest and debt on time”.

Or the case of Bui Van T family, in Quynh Hoang 2 village, Nam Son Commune, An Duong district, Hai Phong city. He was lured into drug addicts and was caught by his wife in 2009. He has repeatedly detoxed at home but failed. When addiction treatment program using methanol drugs was deployed, he was among the first to join. After detoxification, he borrowed VND 30 million for husbandry from the Program of Lending to households and people living with HIV, drug addicts after detoxification, people under opiate addiction treatment by substitution drugs, rehabilitated sex workers under Decision No. 29/2014/QD-TTg dated 26/04/2014 of the Prime Minister. Up to now, his family is raising 20 pigs, 200 ducks and chickens. Family life is stabilized.

It was found that, in recent years, preferential loan for those drug addicts after detoxification, people under opiate addiction treatment by substitution drugs, rehabilitated sex workers is a great source of motivation to such people which help them to take right direction, increase income and improve living conditions.