Let's work together to alleviate the pain.

According to initial statistics from relevant departments, the total number of victims of Agent Orange/dioxin in our province is over 15,000, of which 12,346 are still alive. The number of people directly affected is 6,255, and the number indirectly affected is 6,181. The number of victims in the next generation is 5,922, and the number of grandchildren is 259. The number of children under 16 years old is 3,125.

Children of resistance fighters who were exposed to chemical toxins are eligible for this allowance. The allowance has also been adjusted upwards to help alleviate the difficulties faced by victims, from a maximum of 593,000 VND/month and a minimum of 180,000 VND/month to a maximum of 785,000 VND/month and a minimum of 238,000 VND/month, according to Government Decree 32/2006/ND-CP. 100% of those receiving regular allowances are issued health insurance cards. Children of resistance fighters exposed to chemical toxins attending general education schools and vocational schools are exempt from tuition fees and other contributions, and receive a one-time preferential allowance.

Besides diligently implementing state regulations on regular subsidies for victims, many localities have carried out practical activities to assist victims of Agent Orange in difficult circumstances. A prime example is Thanh Chuong district, the province with the highest number of Agent Orange victims, which since 2002 has organized fundraising campaigns for disabled people and Agent Orange victims, raising 50-60 million VND annually. This money is used to support families with housing, medical treatment, prosthetic limbs, and the purchase of livestock to develop their family economy. Alongside this, various departments and organizations in the province have also joined hands in alleviating the suffering caused by Agent Orange. From 2006 to the present, the Red Cross Society has supported more than 200 families of Agent Orange victims in raising cattle, pigs, and developing production (with 114 households raising pigs and 96 households raising cattle), and establishing humanitarian groups to support each other in production and daily life. Also since 2006, the Red Cross Society has built 21 houses of compassion for Agent Orange victim families facing housing difficulties. On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs Day, the Society also presented 10 gift packages, each worth 200,000 VND, to the victim families. Furthermore, in the action programs of various organizations, such as the Women's Union's loan program for job creation, priority is given to families of Agent Orange victims. The Youth Union's summer volunteer program also includes many activities to help Agent Orange victims, such as visiting, giving gifts, organizing free medical examinations and providing free medicine, and supporting house repairs. Recently, the 4th Military Region Command and the Provincial Military Command coordinated to build a house of compassion worth 30 million VND for Ms. Nguyen Thi My in Thanh Lien - Thanh Chuong (Ms. My's husband, a former resistance fighter, was exposed to Agent Orange and has passed away. Two of her three children suffer from the effects of Agent Orange, with disabilities and mental illnesses. The four of them previously lived in a dilapidated thatched house). Thanks to the help of various departments, organizations, and social and charitable organizations, more and more examples of Agent Orange victims overcoming illness and taking control of their lives are emerging, and their positive contributions have been recognized and promoted. Notably, Nguyen Minh Phu, a 9th-grade student from Tho Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district, lost both hands due to the effects of Agent Orange but has learned to write proficiently with his feet. He has diligently completed junior high school and is continuing his education at the high school level. Another example is Mr. Hoang Duc Kien from Quynh Phuong commune, Quynh Luu district, who was exposed to Agent Orange during the war in Southern Vietnam. He fathered five children, three of whom died, and the two surviving children suffer from disabilities and mental illnesses. Despite his circumstances, he refused to give up, single-handedly raising his children and supporting their education while also managing his business, becoming a relatively well-off household in the commune.

In September 2006, the Association of Victims of Agent Orange was established. With the establishment of the Association, activities for Agent Orange victims became more concrete, practical, and effective. Although less than a year old, the Association has coordinated with local authorities to build four charitable houses for four victim families in remote communes of Thanh Chuong, Nam Dan, and Tan Ky districts. It has also organized visits and gift-giving during holidays and Tet (Lunar New Year) to nearly 200 victim families, with gifts ranging from 50,000 to 100,000 VND per family. The Association's most important task is actively campaigning for the establishment of branches in districts and towns to strengthen its organization. Furthermore, the Association continuously mobilizes people from all walks of life, organizations, and individuals inside and outside the province to help the victims, persistently pursuing the lawsuit against American chemical companies and representing the victims in forums related to Agent Orange victims both domestically and internationally. In the long term, the Association will coordinate with relevant agencies and the Vinh Orthopedic and Rehabilitation Center to research and develop a project on orthopedic and rehabilitation for Agent Orange victims. In addition, it will cooperate with several vocational training institutions to develop a vocational training center project to provide employment for Agent Orange victims.

Minh Quan