Photo: Duong Nguyen with a WAI recruitment poster
A group of Shropshire students have launched a charitable project which aims to remove unexploded bombs from the American war in Vietnam.
Concord College students Duong Nguyen, 16, and Amber Leung, 17, together with leavers Harry Le, 19, and Karen Lukito Setiawan, 19, are currently fundraising for the Wars Aftermath Initiative.
The group has so far been fundraising through their Vietnamese friends and families, but would like to invite the Acton Burnell-based college community to also support the initiative.
According to the student team, the initiative helps to reduce the negative impact of war in the lives of society.
The charity works with relevant national Government organisations, dedicated to helping them and local authorities in dealing with the aftermath of wars, mainly through fundraising and awareness.
It has been founded by young people from Vietnam, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.
Founder Duong said: “This is a charitable project founded with a general view to dealing with the consequences of wars across the world. This includes unlawful actions such as unexploded bombs, Agent Orange impacts and post traumatic stress disorder in veterans.
“As a newly found charitable initiative, we chose Vietnam as our first destination to support due to the readily available ties we already have with friends, family and local communities.
“Lasting for approximately 20 years, the American war in Vietnam left serious repercussions for both sides.
“The number of bombs dropped on Vietnam during the war is more than the total amount used in the entirety of the Second World War, and they have been killing more than 40,000 up until 2019.”
Duong added: “The first benefactors of WAI’s fundraising include Peace Trees Vietnam and the Mines Advisory Group.”
Peace Trees Vietnam was founded in 1995, and it aims to help heal the Quang Tri Provence, by removing hidden explosives and constructing facilities for locals.
And, similarly founded in 1989, the Mines Advisory Group finds and destroys land mines, cluster munitions and unexploded bombs in areas affected by conflict. The group has helped over 18 million people in 62 countries since its formation.
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