Washington D.C. (VNA) – Richard Creagh Schmitt, and his wife, Dabney Schmitt, have spent years carrying out activities in support of Vietnam, especially local children.
Their love for the Southeast Asian nation was inspired by their eldest son, Landon, who had special sentiments for the country and people of Vietnam. The young man studied and lived in Vietnam for several years before passing away in Ho Chi Minh City in June 2009.
Since then, the US couple decided to fulfill their son’s pending wishes, firstly supporting local disadvantaged children. In November 2009, only a few months after their son’s passing, they visited HCM City and Hanoi to begin charity work.
They built a school for visually impaired children in Dong Ha city in the central province of Quang Tri, which was officially put into operation in 2012. The 25 children at the school can talk and study in English and have Skype conservations with the couple about every two months.
Schmitt and his wife had visited Vietnam 18 times, yet their regular trip was suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and their health issues.
Notably, in 2010, they established a fund in memory of his son, under which nearly 850,000 USD has been raised to date, and hundreds of gifts come to Vietnamese children each year.
With the funding, the couple was able to launch other projects in Vietnam, including three preschools in rural areas, water facilities for residents, and support for organisations in the fight against human trafficking.
Over the past years, they have joined charity organisations in HCM City to support the Southeast Asian nation in the pandemic combat.
Currently, they are operating a charity organisation for underprivileged Vietnamese children, which is based in the central city of Da Nang and intended to carry out education projects in the city and its neighbouring province of Quang Nam.
As members of a group addressing war consequences in Vietnam, the couple have paid special attention to children affected by Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin, and have worked to enable their families to receive medical assistance and earn livelihoods, while empowering women and children.
Both, who are now over 70 years old, said they have no intention of stopping what they are doing, and committed to spending the rest of their lives supporting Vietnamese children./.
Their love for the Southeast Asian nation was inspired by their eldest son, Landon, who had special sentiments for the country and people of Vietnam. The young man studied and lived in Vietnam for several years before passing away in Ho Chi Minh City in June 2009.
Since then, the US couple decided to fulfill their son’s pending wishes, firstly supporting local disadvantaged children. In November 2009, only a few months after their son’s passing, they visited HCM City and Hanoi to begin charity work.
They built a school for visually impaired children in Dong Ha city in the central province of Quang Tri, which was officially put into operation in 2012. The 25 children at the school can talk and study in English and have Skype conservations with the couple about every two months.
Schmitt and his wife had visited Vietnam 18 times, yet their regular trip was suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and their health issues.
Notably, in 2010, they established a fund in memory of his son, under which nearly 850,000 USD has been raised to date, and hundreds of gifts come to Vietnamese children each year.
With the funding, the couple was able to launch other projects in Vietnam, including three preschools in rural areas, water facilities for residents, and support for organisations in the fight against human trafficking.
Over the past years, they have joined charity organisations in HCM City to support the Southeast Asian nation in the pandemic combat.
Currently, they are operating a charity organisation for underprivileged Vietnamese children, which is based in the central city of Da Nang and intended to carry out education projects in the city and its neighbouring province of Quang Nam.
As members of a group addressing war consequences in Vietnam, the couple have paid special attention to children affected by Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin, and have worked to enable their families to receive medical assistance and earn livelihoods, while empowering women and children.
Both, who are now over 70 years old, said they have no intention of stopping what they are doing, and committed to spending the rest of their lives supporting Vietnamese children./.
VNA
