This was the first time in 2023 that the delegation has organized program to support unexploded ordnance (UXO)/landmine victims in A Luoi district. Therefore, all members quickly implemented their assigned tasks in order to assist the victims as much as possible.
From providing livelihood support...
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Lieutenant General Nguyen Duc Soat presenting livelihood support to the UXO/landmine victims |
As a mountainous and border district in Thua Thien Hue province, A Luoi district was a revolutionary base during the national resistance wars against the U.S. invaders and French colonialists. The local residents were also bravery in wartime and are hard-working and creative in peacetime.
However, wars left severe consequences in the district. According to Vice Chairman of A Luoi district People’s Committee Ho Van Ngum, as the end of 2022, nearly 3,000 hectares are still heavily contaminated with bombs and mines. Over the past years, the district’s Party Committee, People’s Committee and Chapter of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee have paid much attention to the assistance for the UXO/landmine victims. Nevertheless, there are still many difficulties and challenges facing them.
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Handing over bicycles to needy students |
In order to help them improve their living standards, in the first phase of 2023, the association and the fund handed over livelihood support to 30 UXO/landmine victims in difficult situations, worth totally VND 200 million. Meanwhile, they also presented 20 bicycles, totally worth VND 40 million, to needy students with good academic outcomes.
Mrs. Nguyen Thi Kho, born in 1942 in Hong Thuong commune, A Luoi district was one of the victims who was supported VND 6 million from the program. She was a local guerrilla with a leg lost during task performance. Currently, she is working with her son but facing many difficulties in life. She held that with the money, she would buy chickens and ducks to raise for eggs.
Meanwhile, Mr. Ho Van Via, born in 1973 from Trung Son commune, A Luoi district, also received VND 6 million from the association and the fund. Sharing his past, in 1990, he picked a UXO item and was wounded in his abdomen and arm, while his health was seriously affected. His life is in difficult situation. Receiving the support, he will buy breeding pigs to develop household economy.
“Despite a small amount of money, this was the great efforts of the association and the fund, as well as other sponsors, to take care of all the victims in A Luoi district,” said Lieutenant General Nguyen Duc Soat, Chairman of the association.
...to raising public awareness
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Students participating in the dissemination program |
In addition to supporting livelihood, the association also aims to further improve the local awareness of mine accident prevention.
Accordingly, the association held a program to disseminate information to the local people and students so that they would easily prevent land mine accidents.
Gen. Soat held that this year, the organization boosts dissemination work to raise the locals’ awareness of bombs, mines and UXO. He underscored that the dissemination work in mountainous and remote areas among ethnic minorities should be implemented at high schools, especially during the weekly flag raising ceremony.
He affirmed that the efforts in supporting livelihood and raising public awareness of UXO consequences aim to improve locals’ living standards, thereby contributing to firmly protecting the national sovereignty.
Translated by Minh Anh