The Association of Agent Orange/Dioxin (AO) Victims in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho held a meeting on August 4 to mark the day for AO victims (August 10).
During the event, 83 scholarships worth 500,000 VND (23 USD) each were gifted to children from local AO victim families and 3-million VND (142 USD) loans were provided to 12 poor households.
Donors also presented two houses valued at 32 million VND (1,500 USD) each to impoverished AO victim families together with 25 wheelchairs.
As many as 2,705 local AO victims are currently enjoying preferential policies and support, accounting for 61.4 percent of the total victims. A fund for the victims in the locality has also raised over 20 billion VND (1.5 million USD) for assistance initiatives.
In the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang, the provincial Association for AO Victims plans to present 4,800 gifts to local sufferers.
The association has raised over 5.6 billion VND (256,700 USD) this year towards providing 13,000 gifts to victims along with 26 houses, 26 scholarships and 60 wheelchairs. The association also facilitates regular care for nearly 200 children from AO victim families.
There are about 10,000 AO victims living in Tien Giang. Almost the victims live in difficult circumstances and need helps from the community.-VNA
VAVA calls for support to AO victim’s lawsuit
The Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange (AO)/Dioxin (VAVA) sent an open letter on April 9 calling for support to an AO victim’s lawsuit against 26 US chemical companies that produced the chemical toxins sprayed by the US army in the war in Vietnam.