Giao Thuy District Association of Agent Orange Victims cares for its members

Giao Thuy district currently has over 4,000 people exposed to toxic chemicals; nearly 2,200 people are enjoying the policies of the Party and State, of which nearly 1,900 are direct victims, and more than 320 are indirectly exposed. Most of the Agent Orange victims have serious illnesses, severe sequelae or give birth to deformed children... The lives of many families of Agent Orange victims are very difficult, about 20% of the families of the victims are poor and near-poor households, 70% of the families have a low standard of living; more than 100 families live in dilapidated, unsafe houses, need support to repair, rebuild or need to borrow capital to produce and improve their lives.

The Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin in Giao Thuy district visited victim Le Thi Hang in Hoanh Son commune.

To contribute to alleviating the pain of Agent Orange and helping victims of Agent Orange/dioxin overcome the pain and stabilize their lives, all levels, sectors and people in the district regularly pay attention to and create conditions to care for and help them both materially and spiritually. Every year, the Association of Victims of Agent Orange/dioxin in Giao Thuy district carries out many meaningful movements and activities such as the movements "Repaying gratitude", "Drinking water, remembering its source", "For victims of Agent Orange" associated with the movements "All people unite to build new rural areas", "All people protect national security".

Along with that, the Association has mobilized agencies, businesses, and philanthropists to provide material and spiritual support, and funding to build and repair nearly 25 houses, worth billions of VND; provide financial assistance to nearly 3,200 victims; support loans for production for 150 families; donate 60 wheelchairs and rocking chairs to paralyzed victims; award scholarships to 77 poor students who have overcome difficulties to study well; provide health consultation and free medicine to nearly 5,000 victims, visit and give gifts on holidays and Tet... In 2024 alone, the whole district mobilized over 4 billion VND (including converted goods); of which, 2,756 victims were cared for with an amount of 1.808 billion VND. The Association effectively coordinated with local clinics to provide free medical examinations and medicine to 2,562 people, contributing to encouraging and sharing with families of victims in difficult circumstances. Many outstanding individuals have supported resources, cared for and helped victims, such as Mr. Tran Van Hai (Association for the Protection and Promotion of the Heritage of the Practice of the Vietnamese Mother Goddess Worship) who visited and presented more than 100 gifts worth over 50 million VND; Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Tinh, former Political Commissar of the Navy, received support for 5 children who were indirect Agent Orange victims in Giao Yen commune, each child 300,000 VND/month; Mr. Cao Van Vuong, Giao Phong General Clinic supported 2 children who were Agent Orange victims, each child 300,000 VND/month. In addition, the grassroots association mobilized members to contribute to the "Charity Fund" of 1.028 billion VND (an average of 680 thousand VND/member) to carry out charitable activities and help members' families in difficulty. Officials and members actively responded to the patriotic emulation movement, participated in contributing working days, materials, and donated land worth 712.8 million VND to build welfare works, contributing to bringing localities to the finish line of advanced, exemplary new rural areas and building civilized urban areas. Typically, Mr. Doan Van Chi in Giao Ha commune donated ^360m2 of land to build a cultural house in the hamlet...

Despite many difficulties in life, the staff and members of the Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin in the district are always united, exemplary in implementing the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's laws, and actively participating in local movements. Many members have been able to borrow capital to do business , escape poverty and improve their lives. A typical example is Mr. Cao Van Phuong, Giao Xuan commune, a war invalid and Agent Orange victim with 4 children affected by Agent Orange. Having lived in a dilapidated house, sometimes hungry, sometimes full, his family was given the opportunity by the Association to build a solid house and buy a small truck to transport construction materials, gradually improving their lives. Currently, his family has escaped poverty and has a stable income.

Promoting the achieved results, in the coming time, the Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin in Giao Thuy district will continue to promote propaganda work to implement Directive No. 43-CT/TW of the Central Party Secretariat and Notice No. 20-TT/TU of the Provincial Party Standing Committee on strengthening the Party's leadership in dealing with the consequences of toxic chemicals used by the US during the war in Vietnam. The Association will focus on building a strong organization; actively advise the Party committees and authorities to care for and help victims, especially those in particularly difficult circumstances. At the same time, the Association will increase mobilization of all resources to care for and help victims of Agent Orange, in order to ease the pain of Agent Orange, bringing a better life to victims in the district.

Article and photos: Hong Minh

Source: https://baonamdinh.vn/xa-hoi/202505/hoi-nan-nhan-chat-doc-da-cam-huyen-giao-thuyquan-tamcham-lo-cho-hoi-vien-d765276/