People who contribute to easing the pain of Agent Orange

(Baonghean) - After more than 10 years of military service, returning to civilian life, it seems that he has not had a single moment of real rest. Because he always believes that as long as he has strength, he must devote himself to it. That is Mr. Ho Xuan Luong - Chairman of the Association of Agent Orange/Dioxin Victims of Nghia Dan District.

Born and raised in Nghia Hoi commune, Nghia Dan district, as a Catholic, in 1968, following the sacred call of the Fatherland, he joined the army and fought in the battlefields of Quang Tri and Thua Thien Hue. Upon his discharge, he was contaminated with Agent Orange, but he was luckier than his comrades in that he was still healthy, and for him, being healthy meant continuing to contribute. Trusted by cadres, party members and people, he successively held the following positions: Deputy Head of the Cooperative in 1980; Chairman of the Commune Farmers' Association from 1981 to 2001; Chairman of the Commune Fatherland Front Committee from 2002 to 2008, after which he retired. Regardless of his position, he always fulfilled his duties well and was trusted by cadres and people.

Mr. Ho Xuan Luong (right) visits Agent Orange victims.

In 2009, the Congress established the Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin in Nghia Dan district, term 2009 - 2013, he was elected as Chairman of the Association. Taking on a new job, with heavy responsibility, but he determined that it was the responsibility assigned by the organization and society. He and the Executive Committee of the Association actively mobilized all classes of people, organizations, and philanthropists to care for and share the difficulties and hardships that people infected with Agent Orange in the area were having to endure. As a former soldier on the battlefield, he understood better than anyone the pain and sorrow of comrades and teammates exposed to toxic chemicals, now passed on to the next generation. The weakened bodies, speechless, twisted, contorted figures... of the victims were the driving force that urged him to always be dedicated to the assigned tasks to help ease the pain of Agent Orange.

In the early days of its establishment, the Association encountered many difficulties due to lack of facilities, mobilizing members and establishing grassroots associations was also very difficult, but with enthusiasm, he did not mind the long distance, rain or shine, he traveled throughout the district to survey, propagate, and mobilize more members. If the first day of establishment, the Association only had 57 members, now the total number of members in the district is 298, operating in 12 grassroots associations. Understanding the difficult and arduous life of the members, he and the Executive Committee of the District Association took advantage of the attention of the Party Committee, local authorities, relevant departments and branches, and the support of philanthropists, so from 2009 to 2013 (from the fund mobilized by the Provincial Association and the District Association) awarded 19 scholarships to children of excellent members, with a total value of 38 million VND; Supporting production capital for 12 members, total value of 72 million VND; supporting capital for house building for 14 members, with the amount of 277 million VND; giving 371 gifts to members in difficult circumstances on holidays and Tet, with the value of 125,800,000 VND... And one of the organizations that has many practical works contributing to "joining hands to ease the pain of Agent Orange" is typically the Nghia Dan District Party Committee, from 2010 to 2014 received 5 humanitarian addresses to help from the fund voluntarily contributed by cadres, workers and civil servants in the agency and up to now has reached several tens of millions of VND...

In his assigned position, he and the District Association Executive Committee coordinated with relevant departments and branches to actively detect victims at the grassroots level to propose to competent authorities to promptly resolve the regime, strengthen the work of building grassroots associations, and propagate and mobilize members to overcome difficulties and improve their lives.

With his contributions to the association's work, he was awarded a Certificate of Merit by the Chairman of the Provincial Fatherland Front Committee in 2010; a Certificate of Merit by the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee in 2011 and many times received Certificates of Merit from the Provincial Association. The collective of the District Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin is annually ranked by the Provincial Association as having excellently completed its tasks.

With over 40 years in the party, 65 years of age, he is a shining example at work. In the locality, he is a model party member and Catholic. In the family, he is a model husband, father, and grandfather. In the church organization, he is a person who "respects God and loves the country". He shared: "As a soldier of Uncle Ho, studying and following his moral example, I always keep in mind that as long as I have strength, I must contribute. As a party member and a Catholic, I must be even more exemplary."

Article and photos:Mai Phuong