(HBO) – Over the past years, the credit programme for poor households has significantly contributed to poverty reduction and the implementation of the national target programme on sustainable poverty reduction in the northern mountainous province of Hoa Binh.

With
preferential loans from the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies (VBSP), people in
Toan Son commune, Da Bac district, Hoa Binh province, has invested in cow
breeding.
During
2002-2007, the province gave loans of more than 2.4 trillion VND to 217,370
households, with debt collection at over 1.6 trillion VND and outstanding debt
exceeding 863 billion VND, making up 32.4 percent of total outstanding debt.
At
the end of March 2018, accumulated outstanding debt of the programme was more
than 873 billion VND, with 33,018 households in debt, each with 26 million VND.
To
help eligible people access credit loans, improve the quality of credit loans and
support the poor in the context of reduced management and social costs, the
bank has launched entrusted loans via four social-political organisations.
At
the same time, transaction venues have been set up in 210 wards, communes and
towns, which publicise preferential credit policies and address relevant
procedures. More than 90 percent of transactions of the bank have been handled
at these sites with the same quality as in the headquarters.
Vu
Dinh Hoai, Director of the bank’s provincial chapter, said the programme has
opened up opportunities for poor households to access preferential loans,
meeting their demands for capital for production and education while creating
conditions for them to improve living standards and escape from poverty.
Between
2002-2017, more than 90,000 households in the province escaped from poverty,
and the rate of poor households dropped by 3 percent annually.
It
can be said that the credit programme has created a momentum for the poor
households to develop economy and reduce poverty sustainably, he said.
However,
Hoai added that to make the best use of the loans, the localities should pay
attention to vocational guidance, integrate agricultural and forestry
programmes, encourage people to shift economic structure, effectively utilise
local potential and strength, and accelerate poverty reduction./.
In late March, 29 labourers from Da Bac district were sent to work as seasonal farm workers in Buyeo county, Chungcheongnam province, the Republic of Korea (RoK). Upon arrival, they quickly settled into their jobs, enjoying good working conditions and benefits, with wages aligned with the terms of their signed contracts. The programme is now being expanded, with relevant departments and sectors actively seeking additional seasonal employment opportunities in various localities across the RoK.
Luong Son Industrial Park has invested in standardised wastewater and emissions treatment systems, enforced tight emission controls, reduced noise, dust, and solid waste, and expanded green spaces, contributing to protecting the environment and promoting sustainable development.
Hoa Binh police are collecting public feedback on amendments to the 2013 Constitution via the national identification app VNeID. This innovative approach marks a giant leap towards modernising grassroots democracy and enhancing transparency in public consultation.
A total public investment capital of 113 billion VND (over 4.3 million USD) was disbursed for a project to upgrade infrastructure and stabilise residents in the vicinity of the Da River reservoir between 2021 and the first quarter of 2025, giving a facelift to local rural areas and improving the quality of people's life.
Since the end of 2023-2024 academic year, Cu Yen Primary and Secondary School in Luong Son district has deployed e-study records for all of its 500 primary students, said the school principal Nguyen Thi Tuyen.
The Labour Federation of Hoa Binh city has actively worked to protect the rights and welfare of nearly 8,000 local workers and union members at 152 grassroots unions. Through regular dialogues, education campaigns, and welfare programmes, the federation has helped foster stable, progressive labour relations.