In their efforts to ease the pain of Agent Orange (AO) victims in Da Nang, the Da Nang Association of Agent Orange Victims (DAVA) and its chapters across the city have performed well in term of appealing for domestic and foreign donations to support them.

DAVA representatives presenting gifts to AO victims

Also, the Association has carried out a wide range of practical and meaningful activities to help local AO victims improve their living conditions and integrate into the community.

Nearly 60 years have passed since the U.S. Army sprayed vast areas of Viet Nam with dioxin, a highly toxic chemical in the defoliant. However, the sequelae following the dioxin disasters has been severely affecting the health conditions of three generations of Vietnamese citizens who were directly exposed to this toxic chemical.

Da Nang now has more than 5,000 AO victims, around 1,400 of whom are disabled children.

Since its establishment on 5 January 2005, DAVA has set up its chapters in all districts and wards across the city, with a total membership of more than 3,000, including 67 foreign honorary members.

The Association has acted as a bridge between AO victims in the city, and generous philanthropists both at home and abroad.

Till date, thousands of AO victims across the city have received in-kind and spiritual support from generous domestic and foreign donors. 

Over the past 15 year, the Association has welcomed about 700 foreign individuals and over 300 foreign organisations to visit and give both cash and in-kind donations, totaling nearly 100 billion VND, to AO victims.

In 2006, DAVA got approval from Da Nang government to build 3 shelters for AO-affected victims in Thanh Khe and Hoa Vang districts in a bid to provide better care for the victims.

These shelters are offering extensive care and rehabilitation services, and literacy and vocational training courses, for 120 AO-affected children in order to help them find suitable jobs to match their capabilities and health conditions. 

As a result, many AO- affected children are now able to use computers and make chiffon flowers, incense sticks, and glass beadings. This helps them to confidently integrate into the local community.

Staff members at the shelters for AO victims have also paid special attention to growing vegetables and raising pigs and chickens to ensure the daily nutrition for child victims there.

Notably, a first-ever detoxification and rehabilitation centre for local AO victims has been built in the city.

Funded by the Harris Freeman Foundation, the centre provides dioxin detoxification for 3 generations of the victims exposed to the wartime toxic chemical, as well as to those who want to remove toxins and hazardous chemicals from their bodies. 

Till date, it has treated over 600 AO victims in order to help release the toxins from their bodies, and restore their health.

Over the past 15 years, the Association has been honoured with the Third-class Labour Medal from the State President, two Excellent Emulation Flags and Certificates of Merit from the Prime Minister, and numerous Certificates of Merit from the Central Committee of the Viet Nam Association for Victims of Agent Orange and the Da Nang Fatherland Front Committee, in recognition for its dedication, devotion and commitment to AO victims.

By TRA THANH LANH - Translated by MAI DUNG