Helping Agent Orange victims
The demand for helping Agent Orange victims is great, long and diversified. To help them overcome difficulties, illness and integrate into community, it is necessary to raise different sources from the society and choose the suitable way of assistance.
Visiting and presenting Agent Orange victims with gifts on the occasion of Tet has helped them ease their wound for a certain time. The Fund in Support of Agent Orange Victims, under the Vietnam Red Cross Society, has changed ways to help the victims since 2003.
The form of assistance for Agent Orange victims should be based on their requirement and circumstances.
The Fund in Support of Agent Orange Victims has helped the families with livestock experience, buy saplings and provide veterinary services. The work to repair the houses of the victims has been given to their relatives. The fund has helped build new houses for the victims. In this way, the Agent Orange victims and their families have had a better life.
In 2003, the fund raised over VND 7 billion to implement projects to help the Agent Orange victims. Over 3,000 victims were given treatment; 686 victims enjoyed functional surgeries; 350 victims were rehabilitated; over 1,000 victims given wheelchairs, etc. However, the work was still far below their demand. Therefore, the fund should involve more domestic and international oganisations and individuals.
One of the factors which the fund has paid attention to is training of Red Cross workers at all levels, especially at the communal and district levels. Many training courses for Red Cross workers in 17 provinces and cities have been opened. Many documents relating to information about Agent Orange victims have been published. It is certain that the contingent of workers will help launch activities to help the victims and call for donations to help them.
For Agent Orange victims, the on-spot assistance and of the government has been the main source for the victims.
By LE KE SON
