A enterprise-bank connecting programme takes place virtually to introduce and discuss about the 5-million-USD COVID-19 relief provided by the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi) to support women-led SMEs. (Photo: ADB)The event was co-hosted by the Asian Development Bank(ADB), the State Bank of Vietnam, and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce andIndustry (VCCI)’s Vietnam Women Entrepreneurs Council (VWEC), gathering over300 representatives from women-led SMEs from all over the country.
It offered a platform for banks and enterprises todiscuss procedures and conditions to apply for the grant.
The programme formed part of the VWEC’s efforts to helpwomen-led SMEs access the ADB-run COVID-19 Relief for Women-Led Small andMedium-Sized Enterprises Project which is being implemented by five Vietnamesebanks – Asia Commercial Joint Stock Bank (ACB), Bank for Investments andDevelopment of Vietnam (BIDV), Saigon-Hanoi Commercial Joint Stock Bank (SHB),Tien Phong Commercial Joint Stock Bank (TPBank), and Vietnam Prosperity JointStock Commercial Bank (VPBank).
Speaking at the event, VWEC President Nguyen Thi TuyetMinh said impacts of the COVID-19 have caused troubles for many enterprises, particularlywomen-led SMEs. It is critical to implement the project as fast as possible toeffectively aid the affected businesses, she noted.
The programme aims to promptly respond to the currentdifficult time and it requires the cooperation of all stakeholders, includingthe ADB, the government, the five banks, VCCI and industry associations, DonLambert, head of the Private Sector Development Unit at ADB Vietnam. It willhelp deliver the relief as quickly as possible to women-led SMEs sufferingfinancial losses due to COVID-19, he added./.
VNA
