Thuong Trach (Bo Trach district, Quang Binh province) is a highland border commune. Here, more than 90% of the population is Ma Coong (Bru - Van Kieu ethnic group), and life still faces many difficulties.

To escape poverty and develop the local economy, many households in Thuong Trach (Bo Trach district, Quang Binh province) have borrowed preferential credit capital from the Social Policy Bank to develop the economy.

Mr. Dinh Hop (in Thuong Trach commune, Bo Trach district, Quang Binh province) once raised nearly 100 cows. Photo: Tran Anh

Talking to Dan Viet reporter, Mr. Dinh Hop (in Thuong Trach commune, Bo Trach district, Quang Binh province), shared: "Since 1994, I have raised cows in this highland area. In 2009, I made a bold decision to exchange 11 cows for a Bong Sen brand plow to plow rice fields, corn fields, and cassava fields for my family and people in the commune."

In 2015, Mr. Hop borrowed 35 million VND from the ethnic minority loan fund and the production and business household program in difficult areas at the Social Policy Bank of Bo Trach district to buy more cows to raise. At that time, he raised the most cows with 80, each cow costing an average of 10 million VND.

In 2020, he sold his cow to buy a Mazda - BT50 pickup truck for about 800 million VND. At that time, he was the first person in this commune to buy a "luxury" car, making many people dream.

Currently, he is raising 40 cows, in addition, he also has 1 hectare of cassava field, 6 hectares of rubber forest and nearly 10 hectares of acacia. On average, each year, he earns more than 100 million VND in profit. For the Ma Coong people, he is a good businessman and is known as a millionaire cow herder.

Mr. Dinh Hop sold his cow to buy a Mazda - BT50 pickup truck for about 800 million VND. Photo: Tran Anh

Mr. Ho Son (in Thuong Trach commune, Bo Trach district, Quang Binh province) said: "Previously, my family was among the near-poor in the commune, and at that time, we only knew how to go into the forest to cut wood and hunt animals. Later, knowing that we could not rely on the forest to live forever, I switched to farming and raising animals, and then I asked the local government for ways to borrow capital to create a livelihood."

"After that, my family accessed preferential loans from the credit program for near-poor households of the Social Policy Bank of Bo Trach district and borrowed 30,000,000 VND. With capital in hand, I bought cows to raise. After many years, the cows reproduced into a herd. One year, I earned 75 million from selling cows," said Mr. Son.

Quang Binh Province Social Policy Bank works with savings and loan groups and borrowers in Thuong Trach commune (Bo Trach district, Quang Binh province).

Mr. Dinh Cu - Chairman of the People's Committee of Thuong Trach Commune (Bo Trach District, Quang Binh Province), said: "Thuong Trach is a mountainous commune, the lives of the people here are very difficult, facing many difficulties. The fact that the Social Policy Bank has set up a fixed transaction point in the commune has created convenience for people in the transaction process. In particular, here, associations, leaders of Savings and Loan Groups and people have the opportunity to exchange, meet, share, and guide each other on how to use capital and production experience, so the capital source can be effectively promoted."

"The Social Policy Bank always promptly provides capital to help people develop production and livestock. Many ethnic minority households here have changed their thinking and working methods, along with the active participation of local Party committees, authorities and the Bank. The results have contributed to reducing the poverty rate of Thuong Trach commune by 5% annually (the plan is to reduce by 3-5%)," said Mr. Dinh Cu.