Thạch Vơ, an onion farmer in Trà Vinh Province's Duyên Hải District, has escaped poverty after getting a loan from the provincial Bank for Social Policies. VNA/VNS.Photo Thanh Hòa.

TRÀ VINH— The Mekong Delta province of Trà Vinh has provided loans of more than VND46 billion (US$1,953) to ethnic Khmer people for growing vegetables and raising cattle within the period since 2016.

It enabled 2,559 households, especially poor ones, escape poverty.

Thạch Thị Dung of Cầu Kè District’s Hòa Tân Commune is among those who climbed out of poverty thanks to a loan of VND8 million from the Bank for Social Policies.

She used the money to improve the soil in her land and switch to vegetable cultivation from rice. Now, three years later, she earns an income of VND3.5 –VND4 million a month.  

Thạch Vơ’s family in Duyên Hải District got a loan and began to grow vegetables, and now earns VND80–100 million a year.

The province spent another VND18 billion (US$762,380) on works to improve the socio-economic status of the Khmer in Trà Cú District.

Kim Ngọc Sương, head of the district People’s Committee’s division for ethnic minority people’s affairs, said VND14.5 billion was spent to upgrade 18 streets, the drainage system and a cultural house.   

The rest of the money was used to lend to disadvantaged Khmer households for cultivating vegetables and breeding cattle, she said.

The population of the district is 62 per cent Khmer compared to 31.5 in the province.

Since 2018 alone the number of poor Khmer households in the province has reduced by 10,000.

The province has been focusing on providing electricity, education and healthcare to its Khmer population.  

It has eight ethnic minority boarding schools and one vocational training school.

The Khmer language is taught at 134 out of the province’s 143 pagodas.

The province has a Khmer population of 320,000. VNS