Joining Hands to Help AO Victims

Many activities have been carried out across Vietnam to relieve the lingering pain of the Agent Orange (AO) victims, on the occasion of AO Victims’ Day (August 10). Individuals and organizations in the central province of Thanh Hoa have donated money and gifts including wheelchairs and computers worth over VND1.6 billion to help the victims. The province has more than 1,500 families of AO victims who are living hard conditions. In the northern province of Nam Dinh, many volunteer doctors have provided free medical check-ups and medicines for more than 600 people and presented houses to poor victims. Nam Dinh has over 23,000 people exposed to AO. The Phu Tho Provincial Association for Victims of Agent Orange has presented 2,000 gifts and funded the building of houses for families of AO victims. About 5,800 out of 15,000 AO victims enjoy monthly allowance from the State. The Vinh Phuc Provincial People’s Committee has planted to allocate VND2 billion to its AO victims fund annually starting 2010. A total of VND874 million has been raised by benefactors for the victims and all their children have been sent to vocational schools for free. (vovnews.vn Aug 10)