Thousands of victims suffering from post-war bombs and mines in the central province of Quang Tri now have a stable life thanks to a project on growing mushrooms in Cam Lo and Trieu Phong districts.

Quang Tri is one of the provinces most contaminated by unexploded ordnance (UXO) in Vietnam with 80 percent of land area containing wartime bombs and landmines. The project “Mushroom with a Mission ” funded by the Japanese Government, valued at 123,000 USD, has opened up a new life for the poor victims.

Launched in August 2012, the project is run by the US ’s Humpty Dumpty Institute (HDI) for 5 or 6 years, from, then be transferred to local authorities to operate and manage. The mushroom was considered a “new hope” by many poor victims of post-war bombs and mines who said that growing mushrooms not only brings them higher income, but also makes their life easier.

The families received funding from the project to set up their farms, as well as to buy tools and equipment.

The project also reached an agreement with the farmers that the products would be collected, preserved and processed after harvesting to ensure the best conditions and profit for farmers.-VNA