The meaning of sharing

(Baonghean) - Nghe An Association of Agent Orange/Dioxin Victims was established on September 26, 2006, to mobilize all classes of people, philanthropists at home and abroad to create conditions to help Agent Orange victims in the province overcome difficulties and integrate into the community.

Agent Orange pain

According to data from US scientists from 1961 to 1971, the US military sprayed 80 million liters of toxic chemicals, of which 61% was Agent Orange containing 366 kg of dioxin, the most toxic and dangerous chemical. Such a huge amount of toxic chemicals from the US covered 1/4 of the entire area of ​​the South of our country, causing 4.8 million Vietnamese people to be exposed to toxic chemicals, of which 3 million were victims of Agent Orange/dioxin.

Mr. Dinh Xuan Tu - Chairman of the Provincial Association of Agent Orange/Dioxin Victims visited Dau Thi Nga, Hamlet 6, Quynh Van Commune (Quynh Luu) making embroidery.

Nghe An has more than 40,000 people exposed to toxic chemicals during the war. Among them, there are many tragic and desperate situations due to illness, loneliness and no one to rely on, such as the situation of Mrs. Nguyen Thi Nam, in block 5, Anh Son town, whose husband is a war invalid, gave birth to 8 children, but 5 children and her husband died, the remaining 3 children are disabled, now all over 40 years old but bedridden, all depending on their mother; Mrs. Nguyen Thi Ninh in Tan Huong commune, Tan Ky district, now 80 years old, no husband, no children, living alone; like Mr. Dinh Xuan Luc, who has 3 children all with disabilities, 1 child is 20 years old this year but is 90 cm tall; Mr. Hoa in Quynh Van has 2 daughters, the older one is 30 years old and the younger one is 25 years old and bedridden; Mrs. Le Thi Hoa and her husband have 5 victims of Agent Orange/dioxin in Quy Chau district; Mr. Ngo Xuan Thung's house, hamlet 5, Hung Xa commune, Hung Nguyen district has 4 victims...

Many families have had consequences for their grandchildren; many couples give birth to children who cannot speak, cannot hear, cannot see, cannot walk, many children are 20 - 30 years old but weigh only 10 - 15 kg, are only 90 cm tall, eat and live in the same place, their parents carry them day in and day out...

Share together

Faced with the pain and unfortunate life caused by Agent Orange/dioxin, the Party and State have issued many support policies, and led authorities at all levels, organizations and people to help victims of Agent Orange/dioxin overcome difficulties and integrate into the community. In Nghe An, up to now, over 21/21 districts and cities; 409/480 communes, wards and towns have 15,000 members of the Association of Victims of Agent Orange/dioxin. The association's activities are showing increasing effectiveness.

The Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin donated 10 million VND to support families of victims infected with Agent Orange in Yen Thanh district. Photo: PV

Accompanying and sharing with the victims, the association is composed of people with conscience, morality, and compassion, who voluntarily join the association to contribute to supporting and helping victims of Agent Orange/dioxin caused by the war. After its establishment, the association has become a bridge between the victims and social organizations and the community; coordinating with news agencies and newspapers to propagate, mobilize, and call on organizations with compassion to share and help victims of Agent Orange/dioxin.

There are many enthusiastic and responsible association officials, regardless of difficulties and hardships, going from the South to the North to businesses and philanthropists, mobilizing and supporting money to build the Victim Fund. Over the past 10 years, the total amount of money collected is over 17 billion VND. From that amount, 243 houses have been built for families of victims who do not have a home (each house is worth 10 - 40 million VND), 442 production capital support (each is 10 million VND), 171 scholarships have been awarded, 8,410 gifts have been given on holidays and Tet, with a total amount of 15,178,300,000 VND.

In addition to the support of the Provincial Association, districts, cities, towns, sectors and agencies supported the victims with hundreds of millions of VND, typically the localities of Dien Chau, Quynh Luu, Tan Ky, Nghia Dan, Nam Dan, Con Cuong, Nghi Loc, Tuong Duong, Quy Chau, Do Luong, Thanh Chuong, Ky Son...; agencies and units such as Nghe An Customs Department, Nghe An General Hospital of Friendship, Nghe An Children's Hospital...

This has helped thousands of families of victims overcome difficulties and integrate into the community, eliminating their inferiority complex. Many victims have risen up in life, such as: Mr. Lam in Dong Son commune, Do Luong district; Mr. Hung, whose wife passed away, has raised children and is also a good businessman in Dien An commune, Dien Chau district; Nga, who is disabled and cannot walk, makes paintings and teaches children of victims in Quynh Van commune, Quynh Luu district; Mr. Le Nhu Hoa, whose wife and 5 children are victims in Chau Binh commune, Quy Chau district...

The livestock model of Mr. Nguyen Xuan Quan (Tan Thanh commune, Yen Thanh), a victim of Agent Orange/dioxin. Photo: PV

The gifts and affections of organizations and individuals given to victims of Agent Orange/dioxin in the past, although not large, are meaningful and have added to the traditional beauty of "Love others as you love yourself" of the Vietnamese people...

In the coming time, the Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin will continue to research and advise on feasible solutions for the province and related sectors; determined to successfully implement its action program in the coming years, fulfill the functions and tasks of the association, and contribute to helping victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin overcome difficulties in life and integrate into the community.

ColonelDinh Xuan Tu
(Chairman of the Provincial Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin)