Vietnamese women are subject to many restrictions related to gender and their position in the household
that affect their ability to make strategic choices. For example, they have unequal access to capital
and other resources. Studies have shown how gender inequities cause women, especially poor
women, to bear the brunt of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Micro-credit through women’s groups has been
reported to contribute to women’s empowerment. This raises the question of whether and how microcredit
programs for women in the special circumstance of living with an HIV infection can empower
these women and improve their economic status and their health. This article describes how a small
group of HIV+ women in Hanoi followed over a period of two years gained in five dimensions of
empowerment at the household level by micro-credit offered through a support group.