Around 100 organizations and individuals representing more than 1,600 members of the Vietnam Association for the Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin were honored at the 1st Emulation Congress (2005-2010) in Danang city on July 27. Nguyen Thi Hien, Chairman of the city’s Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin said that the emulation campaign has spread to many individuals and organizations including the Associations of the city’s Hai Chau, Cam Le and Hoa Vang districts. In the 2005-2010 period, the city’s association has donated more than VND25 billion to support 900 AO victims, has built or upgrade nearly 80 houses for victims and has worked with international organizations to provide job training courses and farming assistance for victims’ families. In the 2010-2015 period, the city’s Association will continue to help the victims while improving the dissemination of information to raise public awareness in the fight for justice for the Vietnamese AO victims. It will also continue to manage the operations of 2 units of the Centre for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin and Disadvantaged Children and introduce a new unit in Hoa Nhon commune, Hoa Vang district. The Quang Tri Provincial Association for the Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin is organizing a number of activities to support its AO victims. On July 22-23, the association is offering free health check-ups and medicines for 200 serious AO victims in Cam Lo district. Quang Tri currently has 13,023 AO victims, 90 percent of them unable to work and dependent on their families and community. To help these people, the Association has donated VND1.2 billion to build 8 new houses, repair 1 house and deliver 127 savings books to them. To mark AO Victim’s Day, the province plans to raise about VND100-VND150 million from businesses and individual donors. It will present gifts to 9 districts and communes, worth VND40-VND60 million each.
