In Viet Nam, loans help bolster gender equality and fight climate change - Viet Nam

Nov 21, 2024 | UNEP
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Duong Khanh Ly, the founder of a tea cooperative in northeast Viet Nam, had a problem.

Severe downpours would often soak tea leaves that had been left outside to dry, spoiling entire batches and cutting into the profits of the co-operative’s 15 female members.

So, Duong approached CHIASE, a non-governmental organization and partner of the United Nations’ EmPower programme, which helps women become more resilient in the face of climate change.

CHIASE supported the cooperative as it accessed a collateral-free, low-interest loan that members used to construct a solar-powered building for drying leaves and other agricultural products. Since then, production has surged, says Duong, a 33-year-old mother of two who lives in the Bắc Kạn region.