Hanoi (VNA) - The Vietnam Agent Orange Victims’ Association (VAVA) has raised almost 1 billion VND [Ed. – Approx. US$60,000] nationwide in preparation of the Day for Agent Orange/dioxin Victims (August 10).

VAVA Deputy General Secretary Tran Xuan Thu on July 29 kicked off a series of celebrations for the event with a visit to victims in northern Ha Tay province, bringing them gifts worth 300,000 VND each.

The association has planned to visit the Friendship Village also in Ha Tay province, the Peace Village in Hanoi and other charity centres which are providing care for A/O victims in Ha Nam and Nam Dinh province, all in the north.

In Ho Chi Minh City, VAVA Deputy Chair Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong is scheduled to visit the Peace Village, the Tu Du Hospital and the Thien Phuoc A/O Child Victims Caring Centre.

In addition, charity art performances and sport competitions will be held to raise fund for the victims.

They include an art programme themed “Justice and the Heart” to be held at the Hanoi Opera House on August 9 which will be live broadcast on the VTV Channel 1.

Also on the agenda is a golf tournament on August 9 and an art exchange night at the Friendship Cultural Palace in Hanoi on August 9, broadcast live by the VTV1 station.

The Hanoi VAVA chapter will mark the event with a meeting on August 10 with municipal and ministry leaders as well as industry executives. The anniversary will culminate in the handover of gifts to 150 victims.

Similar practical celebrations are expected to spread nationwide such as in oil-rich Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, where 215 victims will receive gifts each worth 300,000 VND and a charity gala night will be broadcast on television.

The southern province of Ben Tre will present 1,000 victim families with gifts, including 150 wheel-chairs, and grant scholarships to 17 child victims with high academic records.

The northern mountainous province of Ha Giang will issue charity lottery “In support of Agent Orange Victims” and hold a charity gala night to raise fund for local victims.

Vinh Long province in the Mekong Delta expects to raise between 600 and 800 million VND to help improve victims’ living conditions while the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa will provide free medical check-ups and treatment for over 300 victims.

From the Vietnam News Agency

For more on Agent Orange see, 'Killing Me Softly: How Agent Orange Murders Vietnam's Children.'