Supporting Tan Ky to reduce poverty sustainably
(Baonghean.vn) - Coming to the mountainous district of Tan Ky, we witnessed the new rural picture that is changing day by day. That land lacking rain and having an abundance of rocks and gravel is changing as the poor are supported by the Government's social policy credit.
Success from consciousness
Talking about Tan Huong commune, Tan Ky district, people cannot help but remember the famous molasses product that the commune is aiming for OCOP standards.
The advantage of large hilly garden land, with Ho Chi Minh road running through and only about 6km from the district center not only helps Tan Huong commune people develop their economy with sugarcane, but is also suitable for developing forestry tree nursery and farm and family farm economic models. The economic development orientation of Tan Huong commune is realized with the integration of credit policies for the poor and other policy subjects to borrow capital.
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Poor people in Tan Ky borrow policy capital to grow forestry seedlings. Photo: Viet Hai |
For example, Mr. Tran Van Luan's family in Vinh Tan hamlet, Tan Huong commune, used to be a chronically poor household with a difficult family economy. The family has 5 people (2 parents and 3 children) crowded in an old makeshift house. The family has land for production, but it is still difficult to raise 3 children to study, where can they get money to save up to renovate the garden. Therefore, in 2014, the Farmers' Association mobilized, the Savings and Loan Group reviewed and proposed the district's Social Policy Bank to lend 30 million VND to poor households to raise breeding cows, from which the door to a new livelihood for his family gradually opened.
In 2017, Mr. Luan paid off all his debts. However, he was still a poor household in the commune. In 2019, he boldly registered to borrow 50 million VND from the poor household program. Thanks to his experience in animal husbandry, the diligence and hard work of his family members, he boldly invested in breeding cows, breeding pigs and investing in a nursery. After 2 years, his family escaped poverty and became a high-income household in the commune. Currently, he regularly raises 3 breeding cows, 14 sows and a nursery, with an income of more than 200 million VND in 2021.
It can be seen that social policy credit has been and is helping disadvantaged people have more motivation to develop the economy, improve their quality of life and especially help them integrate into the local economic flow. In 2022, the average income per capita reached 39.7 million VND/person. The poverty rate decreased to 4.05%. Tan Huong commune is completing the next 2 criteria of transportation and cultural institutions to reach the new rural finish line.
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Policy capital helps people have jobs and develop the economy. Photo: Viet Phuong |
Policy funding is also nurturing the tradition of the land of studiousness, helping many students not to have to interrupt their dreams of attending university or college because of lack of tuition fees. This is also a sustainable path to poverty reduction.
The family of Mrs. Phan Thi Mai in Nghia Hoa hamlet, Nghia Phuc commune is an example. In 2011, her family was considered poor, but her children were studious. Therefore, the loan capital for students with difficult circumstances with a total amount of 128.6 million VND helped her raise 3 children to go to university. In addition, from 16 million VND from the loan capital of the Forestry Development Project Program, she boldly borrowed an additional 40 million VND from the Loan Program for Near-Poor Households, worked hard in livestock production, and at the same time taught her children to be good and study well. Up to now, her children have graduated, have high and stable jobs, and together with the family, paid off the bank loan, and saved money at the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies.
Stories like this are appearing more and more in Tan Ky land.
The district Social Policy Bank is focusing on mobilizing financial resources to better meet the borrowing needs of the poor and other policy beneficiaries. By December 31, 2022, the total operating capital of the Tan Ky district Social Policy Bank reached more than VND 557 billion, an increase of VND 540 billion (more than 31 times) compared to the beginning of operation (2003). Of which, the district and commune budgets entrusted to the district Social Policy Bank are VND 3 billion.
Together to reduce poverty
Over 20 years of implementing policy credit under Decree No. 78/2002/ND-CP dated October 4, 2002 of the Government, Tan Ky district has focused credit resources through the Social Policy Bank to lend to 85,700 poor households and other policy beneficiaries with loan turnover reaching 1,674 billion VND, debt collection turnover reaching 1,166 billion VND.
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Many poor households in Tan Ky district borrow policy capital to invest in effective livestock development. Photo: Viet Phuong |
Policy capital has been invested in 100% of communes in the district, creating conditions for the poor and policy beneficiaries in need and eligible to access capital conveniently and promptly.
The Bank for Social Policies has created conditions for 85,700 poor households to borrow capital, contributing to helping 5,631 households escape poverty; attracting and creating jobs for over 3,300 workers; helping 19,124 students in difficult circumstances to borrow capital for their studies; supporting the construction and renovation of 17,572 clean water and environmental sanitation works in rural areas; supporting the construction and repair of 1,899 houses for poor households and low-income people...
“The results achieved over the past 20 years have affirmed the role of social policy credit in the socio-economic development of the district, as a fundamental and long-term tool and solution for Tan Ky district to successfully implement its goals and plans on poverty reduction, job creation, new rural construction, social security assurance, economic recovery and development,” said Vice Chairman of Tan Ky District People's Committee Nguyen Van Thuc.
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| Disbursing loans at the People's Credit Fund of Tan Ky district. Photo: Viet Phuong |
However, poverty reduction in Tan Ky is not really sustainable. The number of households that have escaped poverty but have incomes close to the poverty line is still large, and there are still households that have fallen back into poverty.
Currently, the total capital of the Tan Ky District Social Policy Bank has reached 621 billion VND, an increase of 11.4% compared to the beginning of 2023. This is the basis for the unit to continue to meet the maximum capital needs of poor households and policy beneficiaries. The loan turnover in the quarter was more than 28 billion VND, with 651 households receiving loans since the beginning of the year, each household receiving an average loan of 51.8 million VND.
As of March 31, 2023, total outstanding loans reached VND 569 billion, an increase of VND 12 billion compared to the beginning of the year, a growth rate of 2.14%, completing 100% of the assigned plan, with 20 lending programs and 10,970 borrowers. Overdue debt and frozen debt accounted for only 0.15% of total outstanding loans. This shows that capital continues to be effective in life.
In the coming time, implementing the Development Strategy of the VBSP to 2030, the district VBSP will continue to effectively operate policy credit activities in the area, ensuring service provision to 100% of the poor and eligible policy beneficiaries who have a need for loans, contributing to the successful implementation of the National Target Program on sustainable poverty reduction, agricultural development, new rural construction, ensuring social security, and improving people's lives in the district in the following years.
