From Compassionate Capital to Sweet Pineapple Harvests
(DTO) Interest-free livelihood loans have enabled many disadvantaged women in Tan Phuoc 1, Tan Phuoc 2, and Tan Phuoc 3 communes of Dong Thap Province to confidently invest in production and expand clean pineapple cultivation.
Beyond helping women increase their incomes, the livelihood support programme has also contributed to forging a high-quality raw material zone, creating new momentum for agricultural development on Dong Thap's acid sulfate soils.
SMALL LOANS, BIG CHANGES
Amid lush green pineapple fields entering the harvest season, Ms. Nguyen Thi Mem of Tan Phuoc 3 Commune is busy tending the rows yielding their very first fruits.
Joy is evident on her face as this year's crop not only promises a high yield but also marks a pivotal turning point after she accessed a VND15 million livelihood loan through a programme funded by the Ho Chi Minh City Women Entrepreneurs Association (HAWEE) and implemented by the Women's Union.
With the financial support, she invested in fertilizers and purchased additional pineapple suckers to expand her rotational cultivation area. According to Ms. Mem, the greatest benefit is not simply the financial assistance itself but the opportunity for farmers to invest in production without falling prey to high-interest predatory loans.
A similar story can be found in the case of Ms. Nguyen Thanh Uyen of Tan Phuoc 1 Commune. After receiving a second livelihood loan of VND15 million, she decided to lease approximately 0.5 hectare of land to expand her clean pineapple plantation.
"Since receiving support from the Women's Union, my family's financial situation has stabilized significantly. I no longer have to rely on informal credit with exorbitant rates, giving me the means to invest in production and fund my child's university education," Ms. Uyen said.
For Ms. Le Thi Bich Van, also of Tan Phuoc 1 Commune, the loan has enabled her family to purchase fertilizers, improve soil quality, and increase crop productivity. She described the programme as a massive catalyst for rural women to confidently develop their household economies.
SUPPORTING WOMEN IN BUILDING SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS
In addition to financial assistance, the programme integrates technical transfers in clean pineapple cultivation, standardizes safe production practices, and secures stable market access. These efforts have encouraged many households to expand production and gradually enhance the commodity value of pineapples.
According to Ms. Ho Thi Dieu Hang, Chairwoman of the Women's Union of Tan Phuoc 1 Commune, access to livelihood funding has helped many members overhaul their production mindsets and learn to invest more systematically.
Many households have expanded from small initial plots by purchasing or leasing additional land. More importantly, the application of clean cultivation practices, together with stable market outlets, has given women greater confidence to continue growing the locality's principal crop.
Ms. Pham Thi Thuong, Chairwoman of the Women's Union of Tan Phuoc 3 Commune, said the union will continue supporting members by facilitating access to preferential loans, transferring scientific and technical knowledge, and helping connect products with markets to improve incomes and build prosperous and happy families.
Over the past two years, 75 disadvantaged women have benefited from livelihood funding totaling VND1.4 billion, provided by HAWEE.
In 2026, the programme has been extended, creating opportunities for more rural women to invest in agricultural production.
Although modest in value, the loans have been provided at the right time, becoming an important catalyst that has helped many families overcome hardships and gradually achieve stable livelihoods.
Today, on this alum-rich land, thriving pineapple fields not only promise abundant harvests but also stand as a tangible testament to the viability of the livelihood support model, contributing to new-style rural development and sustainable local economic growth.
By H.T - P.M
Translated by X.QUANG
