The Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/ Dioxin (VAVA) on July 5 received US$5,000 from Nguyen Chinh Nga- an overseas Vietnamese (OV) in Thailand’s Nakhon Phanom province. Nga asked Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong to pass on his donation to the AO victims during the leader’s recent visit to Thailand. VAVA President Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Rinh said it was General Secretary Trong’s first visit to Nakhon Phnom province, which is home to many Vietnamese people. The Party chief was moved and proud of the sentiment and support from overseas Vietnamese to AO victims. Rinh expressed his gratitude for the donation and considered it a great support for the victims. VAVA pledges to manage and use the money effectively by building homes for the families of the AO victims, helping them stabilise their lives and improving their economic situation. As many as 4.8 million Vietnamese people were exposed to AO/dioxin. Many of the victims have died, while millions of their descendants are living with deformities and diseases due to the effects of AO. Over the years, overseas Vietnamese have sent home over US$1.9 million and gifts to support the victims and their families.VOV