On the 12th and 13th of October, SRD successfully organized a Village Savings and Loan Association Training (VSLA) for 32 members in three villages in Gio Phong Commune, Gio Linh District, Quang Tri Province. This activity was carried out within the framework of the "Empowering People with Disability" project funded by Caritas Australia and DFAT.

The training purpose was to introduce people to the savings model, which allows participants to mobilize and manage their capital, manage loans, and self-operate the fund's common activities according to regulations. In addition, participants were introduced to the VSLA model, the need and relevance of the model, and specific examples of the VSLA development in the world, Vietnam and SRD project regions. This included projects such as Thai Nguyen, Thanh Hoa, Hai Lang. Moreover, throughout the activities, trainees were encouraged to participate in discussions and agreements on the VSLA operational regulations, VSLA performance trial, VSLA establishing and supporting the team to conduct the first meeting.

After the training, two VSLA groups in three villages were established, of which one group was in Le Mon village with 19 members and another in Lan Dinh and Gia Long villages with 13 members. Members also discussed and agreed on the operation regulations of two groups, meeting once a month. In the first session, the Le Mon group mobilized 190,000 VND for social funds and 2,300,000 VND for loans, for three members of the group to borrow for chicken raising purposes.

In general, the participants were active and enthusiastic about the activities, especially the self-operating funds, and self-management of capital and interest rates that return to the group. After the training, members shared and encouraged more members of the village to participate.