At the reception for delegation for PeaceTrees Vietnam (PTVN), sponsors (Source: http://vufo.org.vn) Hanoi (VNA) – President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations(VUFO) Nguyen Phuong Nga has thanked PeaceTrees Vietnam (PTVN), sponsors,friends, and partners for promoting mediation and mutual understanding betweenVietnamese and American people, as well as dealing with the consequences of bombs,mines and explosives left over from the war in Vietnam.
During areception in Hanoi on February 26 for a delegation of PTVN sponsors, led byformer Executive Director and Senior Advisor Robert Stoke, Nga lauded them forsupporting victims of bombs and mines and their families, calling for theinvolvement of international volunteers in humanitarian activities in thecentral province of Quang Tri; as well as holding tree planting activities torestore the environment.
PTVN’sefforts and support have contributed to healing the scars of war, restoringtrust, and fostering friendship between the two countries’ people, she said,adding that their activities have helped to mitigate risks regarding bomb andmine accidents, created a safe land zone for local residents, and builtmultiple social welfare works.
Itseconomic and social welfare support programmes have benefited victims of bombsand mines, ethnic minority groups, and the poor, focusing especially women andchildren.
Ngaexpressed her belief that more international friends will be interested inassisting Vietnam in post-war recovery, towards soothing the pain suffered bymany underprivileged Vietnamese families.
Stoke, forhis part, said PTVN is the first US non-governmental organisation to belicensed by the Vietnamese government to search and defuse bombs, mines, andexplosives, and also the only organisation in the field in Vietnam. It alsoheld educational projects to raise public awareness of the effort, as well aspeople-to-people diplomatic programmes.
In 2005,PTVN set up a mobile explosive ordinance disposal team in Quang Tri, which has nowincreased to six units. As of October 2018, over 487 ha of land underwent bomband mine clearance, while over 112,000 unexploded ordnances were found anddestroyed.
It offeredloans to 250 families of bomb and mine victims and disadvantaged women. Since2005, it has provided more than 2,000 scholarships for students and whoserelatives who suffered bomb and mine accidents. –VNA
VNA
