A total of over 3 billion VND was raised at the “Joining Hands to Relieve the Pain of Agent Orange (AO) Victims” musical programme which took place at Da Nang’s Trung Vuong Theatre on Sunday evening.  The donations came from domestic and foreign organisations and individuals.

Jointly organised by the city’s Association of AO Victims and other local relevant agencies, the event was attended by municipal Party Committee Deputy Secretary Nguyen Xuan Anh and municipal People's Committee Vice Chairman Phung Tan Viet, along with hundreds of military officers and men, Youth Union members, students, school pupils, volunteers and international friends from across the city.

A performance by some of the association’s AO victims

Vice Chairman Viet praised the Association for their active involvement in helping around 150 AO-affected children and those with disabilities, providing them with vocational training courses, as well as helping them to gradually restore their physical functions and confidently integrate into the community.   This has contributed significantly to reducing the burden of caring for local AO victims on their families and the society.

Mr Larry Vetter from the USA, a participant at the event, said that he fought in the Viet Nam War for 2 years.  He has been affected with dioxin, and is now suffering from cancer.  Over recent years, he has been involved in taking care of 2 local AO-affected children, and has encouraged more American citizens to help AO victims in Da Nang, and Viet Nam as a whole.

Mr Vetter said that his own website will operate soon to appeal for more donations for AO victims from generous American donors.  He said he hoped the American people would be willing to either give local AO victims a monthly allowance of 50 USD each, or fund the Association’s projects for assisting local AO victims and their families.