Nghe An Trade Union creates livelihoods to escape poverty for female workers and poor laborers

Creating livelihoods to escape poverty in difficult lands

Binh Hai hamlet has long been considered a difficult land of Nghia Binh commune (Nghia Dan) due to its rugged terrain, far from the central area. For that reason, people here have quite difficult and struggling living conditions. The construction of economic models to escape poverty is also carried out sporadically in a few households, due to difficulties in mobilizing capital. Therefore, when Ms. Tran Thi Ngoc Ngan's duck raising model gradually became standardized and developed stably, it gave people here more confidence to find a direction.escape poverty.

Ms. Tran Thi Ngoc Ngan. Photo: Contributor

Meeting to learn more about this special model, Ms. Ngan shared that the model had been in mind for a long time, but only when she received a loan of 10 million VND from the Fund "For female workers and poor laborers" of the District Labor Federation did she dare to implement it. After receiving the support money, she bought 500 ducklings and veterinary medicine to vaccinate the ducks. Taking advantage of the natural advantages of the farm being located next to the spillway, and having abundant natural food sources such as snails, shrimp, and stream fish, the cost of animal feed was greatly reduced, the ducks grew healthily, and the meat quality was delicious.

To have a stable output, she contacted local traders 10-15 days before selling. In addition to selling commercial ducks, she also processed duck dishes to sell to restaurants and businesses in the district and commune. After more than 15 months, her family has sold more than 800 ducks, minus expenses, the remaining net profit is about 17 million VND. This amount not only helps her to rotate capital to expand the model but also has more savings to repay the loan from the fund.

In Nghia Dan district, many women have built economic models from the Fund "For female workers and poor laborers". From 2009 to now, the whole district has had 33 womenworkers, laborersThe poor have benefited from the loan capital, thereby creating many effective poverty reduction models. Like Ms. Tran Thi Ngoc Ngan, the family of Ms. Kha Thi Hang - a teacher at Tam Hop Primary School (Tuong Duong) is in a difficult situation.

To increase her income, in addition to her work at school, Ms. Hang planted more trees on the forest land that her family took care of. After harvesting the first crop of trees, the money she earned was only enough to cover her family's expenses but not enough for her to plant a new crop, so the forest land had to be left fallow. At this time, 10 million VND from the Fund "For female workers and poor laborers" helped her have enough money to invest in a new crop of trees and buy more medicinal plants to plant under the canopy of trees. The support of the trade union organization, Ms. Hang's diligence and hard work on the forest land helped her family overcome difficulties.

Ms. Kha Thi Hang with the meter planting model. Photo: Contributor

In Tuong Duong district, many workers from other provinces and abroad have to return due to the impact of the epidemic.Covid-19 pandemic, support from the Fund "For female workers and poor laborers" has become a "lifesaver" for many families.

According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Nam - Vice President of the Labor FederationXiangyang DistrictIn 2 years, the District Labor Union has conducted surveys and completed procedures for 35 union members to borrow capital in accordance with the correct procedures and purposes, and regularly managed and monitored the effectiveness of the loans. Although the loan capital is not large, the union members who received loans have known how to choose the right model suitable for the locality, bringing practical results.

Continue to improve fund efficiency

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy - Head of the Propaganda Department of the Women's Union of Nghe An Province Labor Federation shared: "With the spirit of solidarity, mutual love and mutual assistance of workers, civil servants and laborers, together with the effective lending activities of the Fund "For female workers and poor laborers", every year the fund has supported hundreds of female workers, civil servants and laborers in especially difficult circumstances to borrow capital to do additional jobs, helping them increase their income, reduce difficulties in life, feel secure in their work, and complete their assigned tasks well. Among them, there are many circumstances coming from the mountainous areas of the province. For these subjects, the support is now even more meaningful and effective".

From the fund "For poor female workers", Ms. Ngan has found an effective economic model for herself. Photo: Contributor

Over the years, the activities of the Fund "For female workers and poor laborers" have had practical significance and have continuously spread widely to districts and towns. Specifically, if in 2015, the total fund managed by the Labor Federation at all levels was only 1,450,460,300 VND, then up to now, the total fund is 3,185,935,875 VND. Of which, 2,060,000,000 VND is being borrowed by 5 district Labor Federations (Do Luong, Anh Son, Tuong Duong, Nghia Dan, Thai Hoa Town) and 2 grassroots unions (Psychiatric Nursing Area for War Invalids and Nghe An War Invalids Nursing Center).

It can be affirmed that the Fund "For Poor Female Workers" has been and is being effective, helping to promptly resolve and solve difficulties in the lives of low-income female workers in the province, creating conditions for them to have more capital to invest in economic development, improve their lives, and at the same time contribute to the socio-economic development of the locality.

However, through the process of implementing loan projects, it shows that most of the projects are small in scale, with limited loan capital, and loan and repayment terms within only 2 years. Therefore,economic efficiencyThe quality of the projects is not high, not really meeting the needs of the majority of female workers.

Thanks to the loan fund for poor female workers, Ms. Hang was able to continue with the meter planting model. Photo: Contributor

“With 10 million VND, most women only stop at small economic models so the income is not high. We hope to be able to access more loans to focus on larger models, after 2 years switching to other models like that will be more effective”

Ms. Cao Thi Chau, member of Thai Hoa town trade union

Ms. Chau's concern is also a common concern of many women. Accordingly, many women believe that the management of fund capital at the grassroots level still has many shortcomings. Because each person can borrow 10 million VND through the form of credit, they have to go through many small contacts, and collecting interest is also difficult. To carry out these steps, female workers must be truly enthusiastic and hard-working. Only then can poor female workers access capital.

Thai Hoa Town Labor Federation officials inspect a chicken farming model that received loans from the Fund for Poor Female Workers. Photo: Contributor

Although there are still limitations, it cannot be denied that the activities of the Fund “For Poor Female Workers” have effectively contributed to the program of hunger eradication, poverty reduction, and improving the quality of life for female workers in general and poor female workers in mountainous communes in particular. This is one of the activities with practical meaning and profound humanity, demonstrating the role of the trade union in caring for the lives of workers, and at the same time affirming that the trade union is truly a warm home and a solid support for union members.