Helping ethnic people start business

Ethnic groups have business advantages in their unique cultures and their agricultural and handicraft specialties. What they lack is capital and information about government policies and consumer markets. 

The Committee on Ethnic Minority Affairs and relevant agencies have teamed up to support ethnic minority startups.

Minister and Chairman of the Committee on Ethnic Minority Affairs Do Van Chien said, “We’ll focus on growing high value indigenous trees and raising animals with strong market demand. We’ll help them develop their forest economy, particularly agro-forestry processing and distribution."

"We’ll promote and conserve their ethnic cultures so they can develop community tourism, generate jobs, sell local products, and boost incomes,” he added.

The Committee has organized business training courses for ethnic people, offered them incentive loans, and connected them with buyers for their agricultural products. 

Mr. Chien said, “We don’t set too ambitious a plan, just steady progress. We target 100 successful startups next year. Then we’ll review the program and replicate successful models."

"We encourage young people to nurture and realize their dreams by promoting their advantages, sharing information, cooperating, and taking risks,” he noted.

In May the Committee and the World Bank organized a forum on Cooperation and Connectivity to support ethnic minority startups.