(VNF) - During his official visit to the UK on October 9-10, on behalf of the Acting President of Vietnam, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh presented friendship medal to Katrin Kandel, Executive Director of Facing the World - a UK-based medical charity, in recognition of her contributions to Vietnamese children and bilateral friendship.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh presents the Friendship Order to Katrin Kandel, Executive Director of Facing the World.

Facing the World (FTW) is a United Kingdom-based charity that provides facial reconstructive surgery for children in developing countries with severe and often life-threatening craniofacial disfigurements.

Since 2008, FTW has focused resources on international education and training of physicians, nurses and other medical staff involved in the treatment and care of children with craniofacial birth defects, in Vietnam.

During 10-years of operation in Vietnam, under Katrin’s leadership, the organisation has co-ordinated with various Vietnamese hospitals in Hanoi and Da Nang to provide operations for thousands of Vietnamese children with facial deformities.

The charity sends teams of world-leading UK doctors to train Vietnamese medics; partners with pharmaceutical companies to donate equipment to Vietnamese hospitals; and provides training fellowships for Vietnamese doctors at a number of UK hospitals.

Within the last two years, more than 40 Vietnamese doctors have come to UK for training. At least 75 doctors are expected to join the fellowship in the next five years. At the same time, medical equipment with over one billion GBP of value has been given to Vietnamese hospitals.

In 2018, FTW has completed two missions and two more are planned for October and November. Medical equipment needs are identified in collaboration with the charity’s partner hospitals in Vietnam and grants are sought by FTW to enable donations.

The charity will be donating In Touch Telemedicine capability to both Hong Ngoc and Viet Duc Hospitals as initial start to expanding communication and international linking on the teaching capability. It is hoped this will enable 35,000 life-changing operations back in Vietnam allowing children a lifetime of facing the world without inhibition.

A ceremony was held in Hanoi on Monday (October 15) to announce the Friendship Order which was already presented to Kandel on October 9 and show appreciation to many generous sponsors and donors such as Vietnam Airlines, Hong Ngoc General Hospital, Suntory PepsiCo Vietnam Beverage, The Ann Hanoi Hotel and Emerald Garment SJC, etc.

The event was attended by UK Ambassador to Vietnam Gareth Ward, and representatives of many organisations, companies and donors.

At the event.

According to Karin, the award showed the recognition and support of the Vietnamese government to the charity organisation’s contributions. FTW just want to change the lives of disadvantaged children, who are unable to afford such transformative surgeries and bring a better prospect for future generation.

President of the Vietnam-UK Friendship Association, Hoang Van Dung hailded the great efforts of the organisation and how much it has made a positive impact on many children’s lives in Vietnam.

He also voiced his hope that FTW will run more activities to bring better life for vulnerable Vietnamese children who suffer from facial disfigurement.

FWD has subsequently signed MOUs with VAVA, the Vietnam Red Cross and Direct Relief, one of the world’s largest humanitarian foundations. Especially, FTW is complimented by the UK’s Prime Minister with a Points of Light award in recognition of excellence, and by the UK All-Party Parliamentary Group for Vietnam.

In a gala to mark ten years of FTW’s activities in Vietnam, the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations conferred an Medal for Peace and Friendship among Nations on Katrin in recognition of the contributions that she and her organisation have made to Vietnam over the past decade./.

VNF