The woman, who is nearly 80 years old, developed a connection with the Vietnamese land immediately when she set foot here years ago. Meeting with the local less fortunate group, she knew she had to do something to help them.
Returning home after the first trip to Vietnam, Geyskens presented her idea and received full support from the Vietnamese Embassy in Belgium.
As a result, a charity golf tournament, named "Vietnamese Ambassador’s Golf Cup" was officially organised in the summer of 2013. The funds raised from the annual event is given to the Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin in Hoi An.
With the funding, the organisation has purchased breeding chickens, coops, and feed for donations to families of the victims, helping them develop poultry farming for more stable income and better care for their affected members.
In addition to the sporting event, Geyskens, chairperson of the Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin in Hoi An’s Belgian chapter since its establishment in 2015, has also run bazaars to raise more funds.
Since its establishment, the Belgian branch has so far raised 49,730 EUR. Each year, Geyskens and her husband flew to Hoi An to witness firsthand outcomes that the organisation brought to the families of dioxin victims./.
