Care and support for victims of Agent Orange/dioxin to stabilize their lives

The whole province currently has more than 4,000 victims of Agent Orange/dioxin receiving benefits, including 2,699 direct victims and 1,364 indirect victims.

Mr. Nguyen Trong Giao, Chairman of the Provincial Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin, said: In recent times, the Association at all levels has done a good job of caring for and helping victims, thereby contributing to improving the material and spiritual life of its members. Accordingly, the Association at all levels has proactively advised the Party Committee and the government to organize many practical activities to help victims in difficult and unfortunate circumstances; coordinated with sectors and organizations to propagate and mobilize cadres and people to participate in supporting the establishment of the "Agent Orange/Dioxin Victims" fund launched by the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front; and paid attention to fully implementing the regimes and policies for members. In particular, many members who have received support from loans for family economic development have risen to become rich legitimately on their homeland.

In order to help members develop their economy, over the past 5 years, 258 households have received support from the association at all levels and loans for production and business (interest-free) with an amount of more than 2 billion VND; 23 households have received support for production capital (no capital recovery) with 115 million VND... From the above capital source, many members have received loans to do business and escape poverty, improving their lives. A typical example is: Mr. Dao Ngoc Huyen (in Manh Chu, An Do, Binh Luc) has overcome illness to participate in developing the family economy, becoming an example of good production workers in the locality. Currently, Mr. Huyen's family is investing in raising more than 50 goats, nearly 40 pigs, 100 pairs of pigeons, 200 laying ducks, nearly 1,000 chickens,... earning nearly 100 million VND/year.

Or like CCB Dinh Van Lieu (in Khuyen Cong, Kha Phong, Kim Bang) has also been awarded many times by the association at all levels for his achievements in production and business. Mr. Lieu is a 1/3 disabled veteran, discharged in 1972 at a time when his family's economy was very difficult. But with his own will and determination, along with the attention of the association at all levels, friends, teammates and borrowed capital, he boldly invested in raising dairy cows. Initially, with his savings and borrowed capital, he boldly bought 3 dairy cows; then, he gradually invested in expansion. Up to now, his family regularly maintains more than 30 cows; after deducting expenses, each year brings in an income of more than 100 million VND.

With the help of the Association of Agent Orange/dioxin Victims at all levels, victim Dao Ngoc Huyen (An Do commune, Binh Luc) expanded the VAC model for a stable income.

Not only helping members borrow capital to develop the economy, in recent times, promoting the tradition of "Solidarity - Affection - Responsibility - For victims of Agent Orange/dioxin", the Provincial Association of Victims of Agent Orange/dioxin has mobilized resources from organizations and individuals inside and outside the province to build the "Agent Orange/dioxin Victims" fund. Since 2006, the association has mobilized nearly 50 billion VND. From the mobilized funds, associations at all levels have surveyed, researched, and grasped the circumstances of each victim to propose appropriate forms of support.

Thereby, it has supported the construction of 1,498 new houses (worth 12 billion 551 million VND); repaired and upgraded 56 unsafe houses (worth more than 2 billion VND); supported the construction of 31 closed houses for second-generation victims who are not self-sufficient in daily life and have to live in isolation (worth more than 1.8 billion VND); presented 60,857 gifts to victims on holidays and Tet (worth more than 18 billion VND); provided hardship allowances, care and support for victims (worth more than 4 billion VND); granted scholarships and subsidies to raise 268 children (worth more than 1 billion VND). The Association has also spent more than 140 million VND to coordinate with the Red Cross and training institutions to teach vocational skills and find jobs for 66 children and grandchildren of victims, along with many practical activities, demonstrating affection and responsibility towards the victims...

Thanks to that, the association has reduced the number of members from poor households, no members or members' families have social evils, most of the victims of Agent Orange in the province are optimistic, believe in the policies of the Party and State, and comply with local regulations and conventions.

In the coming time, the Provincial Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin will continue to strengthen coordination with departments, branches, and organizations to mobilize and call on agencies, organizations, businesses, and philanthropists inside and outside the province to support and create conditions for members to borrow capital for production, in order to help Agent Orange victims overcome difficulties and stabilize their lives.

Xuan Tuan

Source: https://baohanam.com.vn/xa-hoi/doan-hoi/quan-tam-ho-tro-nan-nhan-chat-doc-da-cam-dioxin-on-dinh-cuoc-song-160560.html