Bringing policy credit capital to the people

As of January 2026, it has been exactly one year since the family of Dinh Xuan Son (residing in Tan Trieu ward) started using clean water supplied by the water plant. Exactly 12 months ago, with a 50 million VND loan from the Rural Clean Water Supply and Sanitation Program implemented by the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies (VBSP) branch in Dong Nai province, Son replaced his old and damaged toilet equipment, bought a new water tank, installed water pipes, and purchased a mini household water purifier.… This has enabled his family to access clean water and sanitation facilities that meet standards, resulting in a better quality of life.

Officials from the Dong Nai-based VBSP guide residents through the procedures for obtaining policy loans. Photo: Van Truyen

In addition to the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Program, the Dong Nai-based VBSP also implements other loan programs for poor and near-poor households, newly escaped poverty households, families facing sudden difficulties, manufacturing businesses, borrowers for purchasing or renovating social housing, and students borrowing capital for their studies…

Nearly 66,000 cases gain access to policy credit capital

In 2025, nearly 66,000 households were provided with policy credit capital totaling over 3.7 trillion VND through policy credit lending programs implemented in 95 communes and wards.

According to Le Ba Chuyen, Director of the Dong Nai-based VBSP, the entire provincial VBSP branch system is currently providing loans to 212,500 cases with a total amount exceeding 12 trillion VND. Through inspection and supervision, all loan recipients have effectively utilized the policy credit capital, thereby contributing to improving the material and spiritual lives of their families. Borrowers, including poor and near-poor households and other disadvantaged individuals, have accessed policy credit capital to create their own jobs through trading, agricultural, forestry, and small-scale handicraft production and services; invest in their children’s education; and purchase social housing or build clean water and rural sanitation facilities, among other purposes.

Furthermore, in 2025, many policy credit programs continued to increase the loan value for households, while many new lending schemes were also introduced. Specifically, the loan amount for households under the Employment Creation Loan Program was raised to 200 million VND from 100 million VND. The VBSP also launched a loan package for production and business establishments with a maximum loan value of up to 10 billion VND. Credit packages for students, master's students, and doctoral candidates studying science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects were disbursed to cover tuition fees, living expenses, and other study costs during their studies.

Hoang Van Hung, a student at University of Transport Ho Chi Minh City, was the first individual in Dong Nai to receive a loan from the STEM Program. After completing the application, his family was approved for a loan of 237 million VND. In the 2025-2026 academic year, Hung received 79 million VND, and the remaining loan amount will be disbursed to his family in subsequent academic years.

Hung said that this loan helps him have better conditions to attend school, fulfill his dream of pursuing his chosen major, and nurture a stable job in the future.

Dong Nai province currently has 4,546 savings and loan groups and 22 policy credit transaction offices.

Proactively reaching out to potential borrowers

In 2026, the number of people needing access to policy credit capital is expected to continue to increase as a new, higher poverty lines are issued. This means that the number of poor and near-poor households in Dong Nai province will increase compared to the current 2,900 poor households and 1,900 near-poor households. Simultaneously, many new loan programs will be implemented, and the loan amounts for each program will continue to increase. In particular, the accelerated implementation of social housing projects in the province will lead to an increased supply of housing units on the market and, consequently, a rise in the number of cases requiring loans to purchase apartments.

To better meet the needs of the people, the provincial VBSP system has implemented many solutions to help people easily access policy capital and ensure that loans are granted to the correct target groups as stipulated, thus preserving state capital. According to Le Ba Chuyen, the provincial VBSP system, in coordination with localities and entrusted lending organizations, continues to review cases that need and meet the eligibility criteria for loans to ensure that no families in need of policy loans are overlooked. Capital is allocated from the beginning of the year for loan programs.

Furthermore, on December 8, 2025, the Provincial People's Committee issued Decision No. 3008/QD-UBND promulgating the Project on Credit Investment for Poor Households, Near-Poor Households, and Other Policy Beneficiaries using Local Budget Funds in Dong Nai Province for the 2026-2030 period. According to the project, during the 2026-2030 period, the provincial and commune budgets will allocate and balance funds entrusted to the Provincial VBSP to better meet the increasing demand for policy credit capital. This ensures that 100% of poor households, near-poor households, newly escaped poverty households, and households with average incomes who are in need and meet the eligibility criteria will receive loans. It will also support approximately 42,000 disadvantaged students, about 1,000 people who have completed their prison sentences, and about 140,000 workers with loans to create jobs, pursue education, and build and renovate clean water and sanitation facilities.

In 2026, the Dong Nai Provincial VBSP will accelerate digital transformation activities throughout the system, continuously improving the percentage of customers using the VBSP' app for related activities, and ensuring information security...

Le Ba Chuyen, Director of the Dong Nai Provincial VBSP

Specifically, in December 2025, the Standing Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Dong Nai province and the Dong Nai Provincial VBSP held a signing ceremony for a cooperation program. The two units will focus on coordinating the implementation of key contents, including: propaganda work; deploying social monitoring and feedback activities to improve the effectiveness of social policy credit; mobilizing resources to support poor households, near-poor households, and other policy beneficiaries; ensuring that policy credit capital is used effectively, reaches the right beneficiaries, and guarantees social security.

By Van Truyen – Translated by Quoc Dung, Thu Ha