Provincial Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin: Promoting patriotic emulation movements

Representatives of all levels of the Association of Agent Orange/Dioxin Victims in Vu Thu district visited and encouraged members to develop the economy.

The war waged by the US imperialists in Vietnam lasted for 10 years with about 80 million liters of toxic chemicals sprayed on South Vietnam, causing the most catastrophic consequences in human history. Agent Orange exposed more than 4.8 million Vietnamese people, more than 3 million of whom were victims; hundreds of thousands of people died, hundreds of thousands of people are struggling with serious illnesses, living a vegetative life.

Thai Binh is one of the provinces with the largest number of Agent Orange victims in the country, with more than 30,000 people suspected of being infected with Agent Orange. Many victims are second, third, and fourth generations. Most of the Agent Orange victims and their families are living in difficult, deprived circumstances, in need of attention and assistance from the community and social organizations.

Implementing President Ho Chi Minh's teaching "Emulation is patriotism, patriotism requires emulation", over the past 5 years (2020 - 2025), the provincial Association of Agent Orange/Dioxin Victims at all levels has promoted patriotic emulation movements associated with caring for, helping, and protecting the legitimate rights and interests of Agent Orange/Dioxin victims in the province. The Associations at all levels have proactively researched and implemented emulation movements with specific criteria, suitable for each locality and unit. At the beginning of each year, the Associations at all levels organize the signing of emulation agreements, thereby making emulation and reward work a serious, methodical and disciplined activity. Some emulation movements have been launched and effectively implemented by the Associations at all levels such as: For Agent Orange/Dioxin victims, the whole country joins hands to build new rural areas, the whole people unite to build a cultural life...

Notably, in the emulation movement "For Agent Orange Victims", the period of 2020 - 2025, the Association at all levels mobilized organizations and individuals to support nearly 40 billion VND to build and repair dozens of charity houses; presented more than 200,000 gifts to Agent Orange victims in difficult circumstances; organized vocational training and created regular jobs for 10 - 15 children who were indirect victims at the Center for Care and Vocational Training for Agent Orange Victims under the Provincial Association; presented 300 wheelchairs and rocking chairs to Agent Orange victims. Over the past 5 years, more than 1,200 Agent Orange victims have been detoxified and their health has improved; Thousands of Agent Orange victims received free medical examinations and treatment... Responding to the charity texting program "Joining hands to ease the pain of Agent Orange", from 2021 to 2024, the association at all levels mobilized cadres, members and people to send tens of thousands of text messages with a total amount of 450 million VND.

In addition, with a deep awareness of the meaning and importance of the movement "The whole country joins hands to build new rural areas", many Agent Orange victims and their families have actively participated in the movement in many different ways. Over the past 5 years, officials and members of the Agent Orange Association in the whole province have contributed 35,000 working days, donated more than 5,000m2 ^of land, and supported more than 800 million VND for the movement's activities. Mr. Vu Ngoc Chup, a member of the Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin in Quynh Ngoc Commune (Quynh Phu) said: Responding to the movement "The whole country joins hands to build new rural areas", my family donated more than 1,000m2 ^of land to build rural roads, including more than 100m2 ^of residential land and more than 1,200m2 ^of rice land. I also actively mobilized many households in the commune to donate land to make rural roads more spacious, beautiful, convenient for people to travel, contributing to the local socio-economic development.

In addition to contributing to the construction of new rural areas, cadres and members also actively participate in the movement "All people unite to build a cultural life" and maintain local security and order. Currently, 26.7% of the members of the Association are party members; 90% of the members are veterans; 7.8% of the members participate in the leadership apparatus at all levels. In particular, many victims of Agent Orange have risen up, competing to produce and do business well. The whole province currently has 1,200 victims who are owners of production and business establishments. Many members not only develop a stable economy for their families but also create jobs for more than 8,000 workers.

With the results achieved from the patriotic emulation movements, the Provincial Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin was honored to receive the Second Class Labor Medal from the Party and State; Certificates of Merit from the Prime Minister, the Central Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Commission, the Central Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin of Vietnam and the Provincial People's Committee. Particularly in 2024, the Association was awarded the emulation flag by the Central Association and the Provincial People's Committee as the leading unit in the emulation movement "For Victims of Agent Orange".

Ms. Nguyen Thuy Hoan, President of the Provincial Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin, said: In the period of 2025 - 2030, the Provincial Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin will continue to advise Party committees at all levels to summarize 10 years of implementing Directive No. 43-CT/TW, dated May 14, 2015 of the Secretariat on strengthening the Party's leadership in dealing with the consequences of toxic chemicals used by the US during the war in Vietnam; advise the Provincial People's Committee to evaluate the results of the implementation of Action Plan No. 1101/QD-UBND, dated May 27, 2022 on overcoming the consequences of toxic chemicals/Dioxin after the war in Vietnam in Thai Binh province in the period of 2021 - 2030, on that basis, launch the emulation movement "For Victims of Agent Orange" in the entire association system and all classes of people. Organize the implementation of emulation movements launched by the Central and the province in a quality, effective and practical manner. Innovate the content and methods of organizing emulation movements. Foster knowledge, skills and expertise for grassroots association officials to meet the requirements of association work and emulation and reward work in the new situation. Carry out commendation work well to ensure timeliness, accuracy, publicity and transparency; focus on rewarding Agent Orange victims who overcome difficulties to rise up, creating a widespread emulation atmosphere and strong motivation to successfully carry out the assigned tasks.

Thu Hoai

Source: https://baothaibinh.com.vn/tin-tuc/9/222344/hoi-nan-nhan-cddc-dioxin-tinh-day-manh-cac-phong-trao-thi-dua-yeu-nuoc