Poor communal savings association broke down, people's late tears

(Baonghean.vn) - In recent days, hundreds of poor people in Thanh My commune, Thanh Chuong district have been crying their eyes out as their hard-earned money evaporated right before their eyes.

» Nghe An: Hundreds of people panic because of broken savings and credit association

Coming to Thanh My commune, Thanh Chuong district in the harsh sunlight of the dry season in Nghe An, when talking about the broken hui, dozens of people here rushed to tell about families that broke hui, difficult circumstances of saving every penny to contribute to the hui, which could not be more heartbreaking.

The house of the hui owner Tran Thi Oanh was locked for many days. Photo: Ngo Quyen

Mr. Vo Van At, 55 years old, in hamlet 5, Thanh My commune, Thanh Chuong district, is a 1/4 disabled veteran. He has been blind for nearly ten years and depends on the monthly subsidy from the state for his living expenses.

He said: "I also fasted and drank to save 5 million VND from my salary to contribute to the hui. A few years ago, my wife unfortunately passed away suddenly, receiving more than 100 million VND from social insurance, that money has now also flown away with the hui. I still have an old mother who is over 80 years old, the family's life is more difficult than ever."

Mrs. Nguyen Thi Lai, hamlet 7, Thanh My commune, just returned from the hospital after hearing the news that the hui owner declared bankruptcy. When she met us, she said in tears: My family is already poor, every month I have to work as a maid for the neighboring commune. My monthly salary is more than 1 million VND, deposited in the hui, and now I have nearly 20 million VND. Every month I receive more than 100 thousand VND in interest. With that money, I plan to save up to renovate my house which is now in disrepair. However, when I heard that Mrs. Oanh's hui broke down, I fainted and fainted, and my relatives had to take me to the emergency room all night.

Thanh My commune residents are still in shock over the collapse of the savings and credit association. Photo: Nguyen Quynh

Going to collect waste and scrap to sell and then "invest" in the hui, Mr. Tran Van Chinh's family, hamlet 5, Thanh My commune also fell into a similar difficult situation. He said: Our family is poor, the money saved from my wife who collects scrap, I work as a construction worker, all the money I earn goes to the ward and the hui. Thinking about losing tens of millions, I can't even swallow my food.

At Thanh My market, the bustling atmosphere is no longer as before. Many small traders in the market have stopped selling for the past few days because all their capital has been given to Mrs. Oanh. Many shop owners are running around looking for debtors and trying to borrow capital to start selling again and pay off their debts. Many remaining sellers are crying, not wanting to do business, because the money they saved for their children to buy books at the beginning of the new school year, or money saved to renovate their houses, has all been taken away by the hui owner.

Ms. Hoa, a grocery seller at the market, sadly said: "People here saw that he was gentle, spoke softly, and came from a well-off family, so they trusted him and pooled their money to give him, hoping to earn some interest. Who would have thought that today, the hui owner would declare the hui bankrupt."

The difficult situation of Mr. Nguyen Van Chinh next to his dilapidated house. Photo: Nguyen Quynh

It is known that Mrs. Tran Thi Oanh, hamlet 5, Thanh My commune, Thanh Chuong district, was formerly a farmer with muddy hands and feet, then traded vegetables, fruits and milled rice. After a while, with a small capital, Mrs. Oanh started to trade groceries, then became the head of a rotating savings and credit association, which has been nearly 10 years now. With sweet words and Mrs. Oanh's "successful business", many poor people here put money into the rotating savings and credit association, hoping to get a share of the profits. Unexpectedly, Mrs. Oanh declared the rotating savings and credit association bankrupt.

Talking to us, Mr. Vo Van Tinh, police officer of Thanh My commune, Thanh Chuong district said: After the creditor declared the hui bankrupt, dozens of people came to take the belongings in Mrs. Tran Thi Oanh's house. However, thanks to the propaganda and mobilization of the government and the commune police, the people returned all the original items. What is more regrettable, 2 years ago, in Thanh My commune, there was also a situation of hui bankruptcy.

Mr. Pham Xuan Luc - Chairman of Thanh My Commune People's Committee, said: Thanh My Commune has up to 259 poor households, accounting for 13.2% of the total households in the commune. Currently, more than 100 people have come to Thanh My Commune People's Committee headquarters to declare, with an amount of nearly 8 billion VND.

As for Ms. Tran Thi Oanh, who is under local house arrest, the investigation agency is collecting information and soon completing the dossier to prove Ms. Tran Thi Oanh's illegal behavior./.

Nguyen Quynh - Trinh Thang