A charity walk was held in Ho Chi Minh City on August 5 with the participation of more than 5,000 people to raise funds for Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin victims and the disabled.

A charity walk was held in Ho Chi Minh City on August 5. (Source: VNA)

Addressing the event, Tran Quoc Hung, Vice President of the Vietnam Red Cross Society (VRC) Central Committee, said about 4.8 million Vietnamese people were exposed to AO/dioxin during the wartime and the number of people affected by the chemical would amount to tens of millions.

Over the past years, the association has supported 4.9 million AO victims and their families through various activities with total funding of more than VND 1.27 trillion (USD 54.61 million), he said.

Hung stressed that the VRC calls on organisations and inpiduals nationwide to join hands to help AO victims and people with disabilities.

In 2017, the programme collected over VND 1 trillion (USD 43 million), providing support for more than 3,000 AO victims.

More than 5,000 people join a charity walk in HCM City on August 5 to raise funds for AO/dioxin victims and people with disabilities. (Photo: hcmcpv.org.vn)

Earlier, a text message campaign was launched in Hanoi on June 26 to raise funds in support of AO/dioxin victims.

The Central Committee of Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/dioxin (VAVA) and the National Humanitarian Portal 1400 called on organisations and inpiduals to support the campaign by texting DA CAM to 1409 from June 22 to August 20, 2018.

Each message will add VND 18,000 (USD 0.774) to the fund.

VAVAhas run the SMS campaign since 2011, collecting nearly VND 18 billion (USD 784,800) over the past seven years.

In 2018, the association aims to raise VND 1.5 billion (USD 65,475) to provide medical check-ups and treatment, medicine and savings books for AO victims and help them upgrade houses.

People can contact the VAVA Central Committee headquartered at No.35, Ho Me Tri street, Nhan Chinh ward, Thanh Xuan district, Hanoi via 19001530 or 024 6265 2645 for more details.

Money can also be donated to the account of the Vietnam AO/Dioxin Victims Fund 0031101234005 at the Military Commercial Joint Stock Bank – Thanh Xuan branch./.

VNF