Policy-based credit is an important source of support for poor and near-poor households and other policy beneficiaries seeking to improve their living conditions. Preferential loans have enabled many families to invest in production and business activities, helped workers secure capital to create jobs, and provided financial support for disadvantaged students to continue their education. To meet demand for loans, mobilizing idle funds from the community has become a practical additional source of capital alongside funding from the central government and local budgets.

In Điện Biên, the provincial branch of the Việt Nam Bank for Social Policies and its transaction offices have worked with local Party committees and authorities to launch the campaign “Saving together to support the poor and policy beneficiaries.” With the involvement of the Việt Nam Fatherland Front and socio-political organizations, the campaign has been rolled out at the grassroots level, encouraging government agencies, organizations, businesses and residents to participate.

For Lò Thị Son, a resident of Xuân Tre village in Búng Lao commune, the VND 200 million she deposited represents savings set aside to help her family prepare for future needs. By choosing the Việt Nam Bank for Social Policies, she hopes her savings will earn interest while also contributing additional capital to help disadvantaged households develop their livelihoods. Son said: “Every family wants to keep its savings for future needs. I learned that depositing money with the Việt Nam Bank for Social Policies earns interest while also providing more capital for poor households to borrow and invest in their livelihoods, so I decided to take part. I contribute what I can afford. I hope families still facing difficulties will have the capital they need to raise livestock and expand production, making life a little easier for them.”

The participation of residents like Son has helped drive the success of the “Savings day for the poor” event, organized by the Mường Ảng Transaction Office of the Việt Nam Bank for Social Policies in coordination with Búng Lao commune. In just one morning, the program mobilized more than VND 850 million, with 48 savings accounts opened.

The campaign will continue through the end of 2026. Depositors can choose from several options to suit their needs, including installment savings, demand deposits and term deposits. Interest rates are set at levels comparable to those offered by commercial banks in the area. This flexibility allows residents to balance their savings with household spending needs and manage their family finances more proactively.

Trương Hồng Bách, Chairman of the Búng Lao commune People’s Committee, said the commune has encouraged officials and Party members to participate while raising public awareness of the benefits of saving with the Việt Nam Bank for Social Policies. Residents are encouraged to choose deposit amounts that suit their household finances. The local authorities will continue coordinating with the bank and socio-political organizations to sustain the campaign and mobilize additional resources to help residents develop their livelihoods.

For disadvantaged households, timely access to loans means greater opportunities to pursue business plans, establish livelihoods and improve incomes. However, to ensure that loans are used effectively, borrowers need guidance in selecting suitable production plans and managing and using funds for their intended purposes. When loans deliver tangible results, borrowers can gradually improve their living standards, strengthening the community’s confidence in policy-based credit programs.

According to Lò Thị Thanh, Director of the Mường Ảng Transaction Office of the Việt Nam Bank for Social Policies, the office is implementing 13 credit programs across Búng Lao, Mường Lạn and Mường Ảng communes. As of September 2026, outstanding loans totaled more than VND 568 billion, with nearly 6,600 borrowers carrying outstanding balances. Mobilizing additional local funds has helped meet residents’ borrowing needs, while also underscoring the importance of linking capital mobilization with improvements in credit quality.

“We want every depositor to feel confident that their savings are secure and understand the value of joining hands to support poor households. Our office will focus on providing procedural guidance and advising residents on suitable deposit options. We will also coordinate with local authorities to identify borrowing needs and ensure that loans reach the right beneficiaries, helping borrowers use the funds effectively,” Thanh said.

Alongside Mường Ảng, the campaign to save for the benefit of poor households has also received support in communes and wards served by the Mường Thanh Transaction Office of the Việt Nam Bank for Social Policies. On the first day of the campaign, more than 60 savings accounts were opened in Núa Ngam commune, with total deposits exceeding VND 700 million. Sam Mứn commune mobilized approximately VND 200 million, while Mường Thanh ward raised nearly VND 1.2 billion.

These results show that community savings are providing additional resources for policy-based credit programs. Depositors earn interest on their savings, while borrowers gain more opportunities to improve their circumstances through their own efforts. To maintain the campaign’s momentum, outreach efforts must go hand in hand with quality service and effective use of capital. Attentive guidance, convenient transactions and transparent information will help residents feel confident about depositing their money.

In Điện Biên, where many residents continue to face economic hardship, every additional deposit mobilized represents another opportunity to expand the funding available for livelihood development. When maintained regularly and used effectively, these savings can open up new opportunities for poor households and other policy beneficiaries to gradually build more stable lives.