Senior Colonel Nguyen Truong Vien, Head of the Tri Ton District Police Station recalled that, in early 2013, having learnt numerous difficulties of local ex-prisoners, leaders, officers and soldiers of the Tri Ton District Police Station sought sponsorship in support of the local ex-prisoners to rehabilitate and reintegrate into the community. The “Entrepreneur Fund for Security and Order” was launched in this context in June 2013.
Under the operational regulations, the fund has a Steering Committee with a Vice Chairman of the District People's Committee as the chairman and several officers of the District Police Station as members who are mainly responsible for checking and approving applications for loans of ex-prisoners.
Over 6 years, the fund has gradually increased and now reached nearly VND 950 million compared to only over VND 100 million in 2013.
The Steering Committee has approved loan applications of 74 local former convicts who have run production or business projects. Based on each project, the Steering Committee would consider lending from VND 5-15 million at an interest rate at 0.5% per month. The Steering Committee has also created favorable conditions for the ex-prisoners to pay back the loans and interests in installments.
Understanding the profound and humane purpose of the fund, many companies and businesses in the province have made great contributions to it. Particularly, An Giang Stone Exploiting and Processing Limited Company has contributed an average of VND 100 million per year.
“Every year, apart from paying VND 100 billion of tax to the State budget, the company also participates in social activities, such as providing assistance for former offenders and building rural bridges and roads, worth VND 15 billion in total. The company has so far donated a total of VND 800 million to the “Entrepreneur Fund for Public Order and Security” in support of local former convicts to rehabilitate in the local community”, said Mr. Nguyen Tan Danh, Director of An Giang Stone Exploiting and Processing Limited Company.