Within the framework of the Whole Planet Foundation Field Officer Appreciation Award for the Asia-Pacific region, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh, TYM’s credit officer in Kim Dong branch, Hung Yen province has been honored as 1 of 5 grand prize winners.
Perhaps in the field of microfinance in general and the operation of TYM in particular, there is no word that can describe correctly the image of an “Credit Officer” cum a VWU’s officer with the “women supporting” mission. Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh is one of TYM’s outstanding credit officers not only for her outstanding achievements at work but also her 12 years of devoting for TYM and accompanying women during their development. There have been many members in difficult circumstances supported by Ms. Thanh. She has not only supported those cases with her own material and spiritual but also called for others support.
Member Do Thi Hien, center 102, is one of the cases. When Ms. Hien was borrowing a loan from TYM, her family encountered an incident. Her mother-in-law went bankrupt and ran away from the province, leaving behind her paralyzed husband. Hien, on her own, must take care of the whole family-in-law and her own with two small kids and a husband getting seriously ill. Because of that, Ms. Hien experienced many difficulties in repayment. Knowing such the information, Ms. Thanh often went to the hospital to visit the member’s husband, and at the same time held a meeting of center 102 to discuss measures to help Ms. Hien’s family. Ms. Thanh also called for support from members in other centers. Until now, Hien’s family has gradually stabilized their life, paid off debts to TYM and is now saving at TYM with the amount of VND 30,000/week. The other example is the case of Nguyen Thi Bich, a TYM’s member at center 92. Thanks for the information and article provided by Ms. Thanh, TYM has called for support from many domestic and foreign donors. Ms. Bich is one of the cases who has escaped from poverty thanks to TYM’s capital. Unfortunately, when her economy was getting stable, she found getting cancer. After half a year of treatment, Bich was exhausted both physically and mentally. Her husband was tired and left the family, leaving her alone with the first daughter with intellectual disabilities. At that time, Ms. Bich could not work so she found hard in repaying loan for TYM. Ms. Thanh went directly to meet with her relatives for support to pay back the loan, and at the same time reported to the branch and the president of the Commune Women’s Union to mobilize support from other local people for her medical treatment. With the agreement of Ms. Bich, Ms. Thanh also wrote an article about her family’s situation to share on social networks, and post on TYM’s website. As a result, Ms. Bich’s family has received a lot of attention and help from benefactors from all over the country both physically and mentally.
During her 12 years with women in Hung Yen, Ms. Thanh always carries with her enthusiasm and a high sense of responsibility. For us and for other members, she has done much more than the title of “excellent credit officer”.