Agent Orange Survivors and Phuoc Tich Village

Today we headed into a different section of the hill country to visit a village where some 10% of its children suffer from dioxin-related illnesses associated with the use of Agent Orange and other chemicals by the US during the war. The group as a whole contributed $150 plus another $50 in school supplies to this village for its ongoing efforts to assist families with dependents suffering from such serious illnesses as encephalitis and more workable conditions such as deformation of limbs where children and adults have their mental faculties and can often use their feet in lieu of deformed hands to draw, write, and get around. After meeting the village head, we stopped in at some of the houses to meet some of the families of those affected. It was somewhat ad-lib, arranging this trip, but I think it at least helped to show students the complications associated with long-term affects of the war on the environment and society as well as the difficulties associated with aid work and charities here.

Before returning to Hue, we stopped in for a stroll to a country village called Phuoc Tich where the locals are busy redeveloping the village as a production center for all kinds of traditional crafts such as pottery and ceramics once produced for sale in Hue's markets before 1950. Xuan Anh and David played games on the road while the students stopped in to try the traditional drug of choice for women called betel nut, a mild stimulant and pain killer that when chewed makes the lips and mouth turn bright bright red.