Policy credit helps women escape poverty
Through close coordination between the Vietnam Women’s Union (VWU) at all levels and the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies (VBSP), policy credit funds in Lam Dong province have been effectively managed and utilized, helping women develop their livelihoods, achieve sustainable poverty reduction and gradually strengthen their economic empowerment in society.
Standing alongside women on the path out of poverty
The Women’s Union of Lang Biang - Da Lat Ward currently has more than 3,300 members across 30 grassroots chapters. Identifying policy credit as a key driver of economic development for its members, the Union has worked closely with VBSP to effectively implement preferential loan programs. These funds have enabled many households to invest in vegetables, flowers, strawberries and coffee, particularly roses—a crop well suited to local conditions. As a result, many women living at the foot of Lang Biang Mountain have gradually escaped poverty, stabilized their livelihoods and, in some cases, achieved relative prosperity.
Previously, the family of Pang Ting Hut Drik from Bon Dung 1 residential group faced significant financial difficulties. In 2021, through the Union’s savings and credit group, she received a loan of VND 50 million to renovate her rose garden, graft new varieties and apply fertilizers. According to Drik, although the loan amount was modest, the low interest rate made it well suited to her family’s circumstances, providing critical capital to invest in production, generate stable income and gradually expand operations.
Bon Dung 1 residential group currently has two savings and credit groups. Group 1 alone includes 60 members, with outstanding loans totaling nearly VND 6 billion. Group leader Pang Tin Glê Đuy said that in addition to ensuring timely debt repayment and interest collection, the group has applied information technology in its management, using Zalo groups to promptly share information and remind members of their obligations. This approach has helped improve compliance and minimize overdue debts.
To date, total outstanding loans entrusted through the Women’s Union of Lang Biang – Da Lat Ward have exceeded VND 69.8 billion, disbursed through 18 savings and credit groups to 803 borrowing households. The savings participation rate among borrowers stands at 99.2%, with total savings exceeding VND 5.6 billion. According to Nguyen Thi Hanh, Vice Chairwoman of the ward-level Women’s Union, preferential loans have enabled many members to confidently restructure their crops and increase household income.
Enhancing women’s economic empowerment
According to H’Vi Êban, Vice Chairwoman of the provincial Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and Chairwoman of the Lam Dong Women’s Union, strengthening women’s economic empowerment is a core task of strategic importance in promoting gender equality and enhancing women’s role in socio-economic development. Accordingly, Women’s Union chapters at all levels have proactively coordinated with banks, particularly VBSP, to facilitate women’s access to preferential credit for production and business activities.
By the end of 2025, total outstanding loans entrusted from VBSP through the Women’s Union across the province exceeded VND 6 trillion, serving more than 101,000 borrowers and accounting for 34.5% of total entrusted credit funds. Outstanding loans from the Vietnam Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development surpassed VND 1.7 trillion. Across the province, more than 2,200 savings and credit groups managed by the Women’s Union are operating at village and residential group levels.
At present, the Lam Dong Women’s Union is entrusted with managing 13 policy credit programs, with total outstanding loans exceeding VND 6.157 trillion, benefiting more than 100,000 borrowers. The average loan size stands at VND 73 million per household. With simple procedures, low interest rates and no collateral requirements, preferential credit has become a vital lifeline enabling poor and vulnerable women to stabilize production and improve their living conditions.