Out of money, Nghia Thang Center for the care and rehabilitation of victims of Agent Orange/dioxin (Quang Ngai) had to stop operating. Those who have been attached to the center for the past 13 years are very sad about this.
The center for nurturing, caring for and rehabilitating victims of dioxin has stopped operating due to lack of money - Photo: TRAN MAI
On November 20, Mr. Le Van Tien - Director of Nghia Thang Center for the Care and Rehabilitation of Agent Orange and Dioxin Victims (Nghia Thang Commune, Tu Nghia District, Quang Ngai) - said that although he was very sad, he still had to temporarily suspend the center's operations due to lack of money.
Hold on to care for Agent Orange victims
According to Mr. Tien, the center officially closed on November 1 and it is unknown when it will reopen. "The care of Agent Orange victims at the center depends on mobilized funding. Without this funding, even if we wanted to care for them, we would not be able to do so," Mr. Tien said.
Nghia Thang Center for Rehabilitation of Agent Orange Victims was established in 2011. The center directly cares for 10-15 children who are victims of Agent Orange (including 9 children from poor and near-poor families). In addition, every day, many people infected with dioxin affect their physical and mental health.
According to preliminary statistics, every year hundreds of Agent Orange victims come here for rehabilitation support. Many cases have been cared for and rehabilitated and have reintegrated well into the community.
Mr. Tien said that when the Center was established, there were 4 people working. The amount of work each day was very large, one person took care of shopping and cooking, the other person guided the training.
According to Mr. Tien, the center’s operations depend on support from kind-hearted people. After the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses fell into difficulties and cut their support money or stopped supporting them.
Despite enduring and trying to take care of the patients, in the past 5 months, the center ran out of funds, gradually reduced the number of patients, and was forced to stop operating.
Lack of long-term funding, many items for care, creating playgrounds for Agent Orange victims are degraded and damaged - Photo: TRAN MAI
Everyone is looking forward to the center being back in operation.
On October 29, the Association of Agent Orange/Dioxin Victims of Quang Ngai province issued an official dispatch announcing the temporary suspension of the center's operations.
"We are very sad, waiting for a solution to resume operations. Honestly, hearing the parents of the children affected by Agent Orange hope that the center will open so that their children can have a place to work and recover breaks our hearts. But what can we do? The three of us can only contribute to taking care of them, providing food and drink... As for money to take care of the victims, we are powerless," Mr. Tien added.
The Quang Ngai Association of Agent Orange Victims was also helpless when it had to close the center. The provincial fund for Agent Orange victims is no longer able to support the caretakers, fosterers and managers at the center. There is also no new source of mobilization due to economic difficulties.
According to the reporter, the Nghia Thang Center for Rehabilitation of Agent Orange/dioxin Victims is currently closed and locked, with dust covering the living and cooking rooms. Many rehabilitation tools are also stored in storage, and the outdoor playground is damaged.
The vegetable growing area in the center to supplement the children's meals is now overgrown with weeds.
Those who directly care for Agent Orange victims at the center are very sad to have to close - Photo: TRAN MAI
Ms. Nguyen Thi Thi (My Thanh Dong village, Nghia Thuan commune, Tu Nghia district) said: "My family is poor, unfortunately my child was infected with Agent Orange. For the past two years, he has been taken care of at the center so he is doing better, and I have had time to work to earn money. Since the center closed, both mother and child have had a hard time. Every day my child asked to be taken to the center to study, but the center has closed. Now I just hope the center will operate again."
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/trung-tam-cham-soc-nan-nhan-chat-doc-da-cam-dung-hoat-dong-vi-het-tien-20241120105713727.htm
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