The course was opened free for disabled people to learn about digital marketing as part of payback program of the company. This is also the chance for CEDS to give consultation for operation of the company.

The story of Ngan Ha Xanh

The owner of Ngan Ha Xanh - Mr Huong is a disabled person with shoulder and leg defects. He was born in Quang Binh and graduated from Hue University, Faculty of Graphic Arts. Although he was born in low-income family, he always tries his best to become wealthy. Now he is the owner of a small printing business in Hanoi where 80% of workers are disabled.

Mr. Huong also shared with the experts the difficulties and challenges that he has encountered since the establishment of his own business. One of the biggest challenges is how to access to low-interest loans. How to obtain loans with suitable conditions? It is a tough question for him in particular as well as for other small and medium enterprises in general. The accessibility to these sources of funds is often difficult for small and medium businesses due to the lack of high-value collateral, while the procedure for lending capital at banks is still complicated. Interest rates on loans are also high compared with the solvency of these enterprises.

Mr. Huong shared that although his company is a small-scale company, the potential for expansion of the company is growing well due to the increasing demand for printing in the market. With Mr. Huong's dynamic and prestigious products and services that the company offers to its customers, Mr. Huong believes that the company will continue to reach the international level as the name of Ngan Ha Xanh he gave to the enterprise. Moreover, it will be a place to train and offer jobs for disabled workers.

… And its people

The stories of many unhappy lives in Ngan Ha Xanh are also the sources of inspiration for Thriive team. Nguyen Thi May - a student of the course, who has a congenital foot defects and daily travel by tricycle, said: "Receiving this course is a great blessing to me. My life will become more meaningful as I don’t have to stay at home alone and have more chances to socialize, contact with friends, be integrated into the community. This also gives me an opportunity to learn and maybe later have a good job which is exactly what I love to do".

May’s family is complicated. Her father passed away, then her mother got married to another man. She now lives with her grandmother and uncle. He is the breadwinner of the family with his primary job is to repair motorbike. She knew this free course from Ms. Trang - who is now a member of Ngan Ha Xanh when May joined the Disabled Community.

May further shared: "I hope Thriive enterprises will connect to each other to create more opportunities for the disabled community so that we can integrate and devote ourselves as a good citizen for the community."

The biggest impression coming to the vocational training is probably the willingness to share experiences, resources and the close link between Thriive's enterprises and the representatives of the Center for Economic Development Studies (CEDS) in particular as well as the Thriive business community in general. The consultancy from the experts not only orientates the best way for the enterprise to develop in the future but also provides solutions to solve their immediate problems regarding capital. Thus, the enterprises will find out the most suitable development path for themselves.

Since the establishment of the company, Ngan Ha Xanh has not received any support or loans from state-owned banks or policy funds until he knew Thriive and received an interest-free loan so that the new company is growing and expanding better. However, to develop further, the company needs to find more capital resources. If you have more information about funds which can support businesses or have significant social impacts with low-interest rates, please contact thriive.hanoi@gmail.com or call our hotline at 0888 15 9099 of Center for Economic Development Studies, VNU University of Economics and Business. We highly appreciate your contribution.