Day for Agent Orange/Dioxin Victims (August 10):

The war has been over for more than half a century, but the effects of Agent Orange/dioxin are still leaving serious consequences.

In the journey to overcome the consequences of Agent Orange, besides the determination and efforts of Agent Orange victims, the cooperation and sharing from the community is a great source of strength, helping them have a better life and confidently integrate into the community...

The Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin presents gifts to victims of Agent Orange at the program to support the Vietnam Fund for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin. Photo: Nguyen Hai

Do not surrender to fate

Among the typical faces of Agent Orange victims' determination to rise up and integrate into the community, the story of the young man Nay Djruêng (Ji A hamlet, Ia Dreh commune, Gia Lai province) and the volunteer journey "Going through the rice fields" that he founded is always full of inspiration.

Due to the effects of Agent Orange from his father, a guerrilla in the anti-American resistance war, Nay Djrueng was born without hands or feet. Overcoming all difficulties and hardships, Nay Djrueng enrolled in an information technology course in Da Nang, then worked in Ho Chi Minh City. Although his personal income is only 3 to 5 million VND/month, the Fund for accompanying poor students in disadvantaged areas called "Going through the field season" founded by Nay Djrueng over the past 10 years is still maintained, mobilizing resources to give scholarships to poor students in his hometown every school year. In 10 years (2014-2024), the Fund "Going through the field season" has provided scholarships and gifts to poor students at the schools he attended in his hometown, worth about 150 million VND.

Or the story of veteran Hoang Van Khoi (Mau Lam commune, Thanh Hoa province). Returning to his hometown after being discharged from the army, only when he welcomed his son into the world and discovered he had a birth defect, was he shocked to learn that he had been infected with Agent Orange. Overcoming adversity, he and his wife sold their ironwood house, contracted 3,000 square meters of forest hill to plant forests, raise bees, and build a new home for their family with their strong will and the bravery of Uncle Ho's soldiers.

Cases like Nay Djruêng and veteran Hoang Van Khoi have received support from the Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin at all levels and local authorities in terms of both material and policy regimes. “Despite being disabled for life, with a strong desire to live and the solidarity and sharing of the community, many Agent Orange victims do not surrender to fate. And it is the responsibility of each of us to join hands to support them to proactively earn a living and confidently integrate into the community,” affirmed Lieutenant General Nguyen Huu Chinh, Chairman of the Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin.

Mobilizing domestic and international resources

Currently, the country still has millions of victims of Agent Orange, including more than 626 thousand people who enjoy the regime of “resistance fighters and children infected with toxic chemicals”. Many families have 3 to 4 victims of Agent Orange, and life is still difficult.

With the motto that wherever there are victims, there is an association and the determination not to leave Agent Orange victims behind, for over 20 years, the Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin has always strived to ease the pain of Agent Orange. Associations of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin at all levels regularly receive attention from the Party, the State, the Vietnam Fatherland Front, local Party committees and authorities.

In 2024 and the first 6 months of 2025, the Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin nationwide mobilized and received support and assistance from many domestic and international organizations, businesses, and philanthropists, with a total value converted into cash of more than 773 billion VND. Notable among them are units and businesses of the Ministry of National Defense; Military Commercial Joint Stock Bank; Belgian House of Representatives and many organizations in the Kingdom of Belgium through the Aquitara Fund; Ms. Masako Sakata (Japanese), Director of the "Seeds of Hope" Fund; Ao Vua Joint Stock Company and many other groups and individuals. "The community's attention and support is the "light" of humanity, of affection and responsibility, contributing to easing the pain of Agent Orange, overcoming the consequences of toxic chemicals left behind after the war, lighting up hope and opening a journey of revival for unfortunate fates," Lieutenant General Nguyen Huu Chinh emphasized.

Recently, at the art exchange program "Following the Dawn" with the theme "Livelihood - Integration" organized by the Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin in collaboration with the Office of the Standing Office of Steering Committee 701 and the Military Radio and Television Center on the occasion of the 64th anniversary of the Vietnam Agent Orange Disaster (August 10, 1961 - August 10, 2025) and the Day for Victims of Agent Orange in Vietnam (August 10), the Organizing Committee initially received support from the community worth 2.5 billion VND to implement livelihood models, supporting victims of Agent Orange to have a better life, and have the opportunity to confidently integrate into the community.

Lieutenant General Nguyen Huu Chinh said that the funds donated to the Agent Orange/Dioxin Victims Fund are used to support livelihoods, build and repair houses, rehabilitate, and give gifts to Agent Orange victims during holidays and Tet. This is a deep concern and sharing of the community, contributing to helping Agent Orange victims gradually rise up and stabilize their lives.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/ngay-vi-nan-nhan-chat-doc-da-cam-dioxin-10-8-chung-tay-xoa-diu-noi-dau-712064.html