US NGO raises money to build houses in Quang Tri

Speaking at the function held in Washington D.C. o­n June 28, Deputy Head of Mission of the Vietnamese Embassy in the US Nguyen Minh Tien singled out “PeaceTrees Vietnam” for its projects relating to landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) clearance, UXO victims assistance and mine awareness education in Quang Tri.

“We welcome and highly appreciate the efforts of PeaceTrees Vietnam and other humanitarian organisations to heal the wounds left by the war and promote friendship between the people of the two countries,” said the Vietnamese diplomat.

“PeaceTrees Vietnam” was founded in 1995 under the initiative of the Governor of Washington D.C., first Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Le Van Bang and President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisation Vu Xuan Hong.

Over the past 10 years, the organisation has helped local people in Quang Tri province clear landmines and other explosives o­n 375 ha of land, remove 13,000 ordnance items and plant 32,500 trees.

It has provided mine awareness education for 13,000 local people, mainly children, built a number of houses, seven libraries and three kindergartens and provided assistance to more than 600 UXO victims throughout the locality.