This morning, November 10, on the first day of the Let’s orange 2025 campaign, VSF donated 600 million VND in livelihood support to two cooperatives owned by ethnic minority women: Yen Thanh cinnamon cooperative (Yen Thanh commune) and Minh Quang tea cooperative (Thong Nguyen commune), Tuyen Quang province (300 million VND per cooperative). The activity was implemented with the connection and support from CARE International in Vietnam.
Attending the ceremony were Mr. Hoang Van Khanh - Vice Chairman of Yen Thanh commune People's Committee; Mr. Ly Ngoc Son - Vice Chairman of Thong Nguyen commune People's Committee; representatives of VSF; representatives of CARE International in Vietnam; and 40 members of the two cooperatives.
A total of 18 members of the two cooperatives will have direct access to the capital. Along with that, more than 60 households in difficult circumstances, which are satellite households linked in production, also benefit indirectly through the expansion of cultivation, processing and product consumption activities.
Speaking at the donation ceremony, Ms. Tran Hong Diep, Director of VSF, said: “Livelihood funding not only supports women in expanding production and stabilizing income but also contributes to enhancing their role and voice in the family and community. When given the conditions to access and use resources, women will become financially autonomous and more confident in making economic decisions, making an important contribution to promoting local development.”
The funds will be implemented in the form of interest-free loans, operating on an annual rotation basis, to create conditions for many ethnic minority women to continue benefiting in the future.
Ms. Hoang Thi Duong, Director of Yen Thanh cinnamon cooperative, shared: “This funding helps the cooperative have more cash flow for rotation, being more proactive in production and business. Previously, working capital was limited, so people had to sell products immediately after harvest, often before market prices were favorable. Now with the loan, which is interest-free, we are more secure and can wait for better market conditions to sell, thereby increasing income for members.”
For Minh Quang tea cooperative, the support funding will also contribute to expanding production scale and increasing the ability to purchase raw materials from linked households. Ms. Phung Mui Khe, Director of the cooperative, said: “This support funding helps the cooperative expand its production scale and purchase more raw materials from linked households. We highly appreciate the companionship of VSF, thanks to which the cooperative has more conditions to develop and support local women more sustainably.”
The livelihood support fund for ethnic minority women in difficult circumstances comes from the Let’s orange 2024 campaign. A total of 628 million VND was contributed by VSF, TH Group, and BAC A BANK to the livelihood support fund through more than 520,781 TH products sold and 4,762 “Home builder” savings books opened by BAC A BANK customers.
On the same day, VSF also organized a training course on “Gender equality in relation to family economic development” in Tuyen Quang. During November 10-11, 40 beneficiaries from the livelihood support fund were trained to raise awareness about gender equality, gender stereotypes/biases, and the role of women in economic development, while also being equipped with domestic violence prevention and control skills. This training course will contribute to improving the efficiency of using loan capital and promoting gender equality locally.
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