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HOA BINH PEACE VILLAGE, HO CHI MINH CITY 7th March 2011
People met: Ta Thi Chung M.D. – Vice Director, Nguyen Thi Phuong Tan M.D. – Chief of Rehabilitation Department, Miss Chinh – Physiotherapist and Interpreter, Nguyen Duc – Rehabilitation Department
The village is situated above the Tu Du Obstetrics and Gynaecological Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City and comprises of two floors with wards, classrooms, cafeteria and living rooms. It is bright and cheerful. At present the village is home to 60 children from small babies to two girls of 25 and 26 years old. Some of the children’s disabilities are very severe and 50% of them suffer from brain damage as well as physical disabilities. 80% of the children are thought to be suffering from the effects of ‘Agent Orange’, the dioxin sprayed by the Americans during the war. 1.5% of children born at this hospital are still affected, and unfortunately the numbers of children cared for by the village are increasing. Dr Tan hoped that MSAVLC will tell people all over the world of their problems!Most of the money that the Village has received from us in the past has been used to buy equipment and the rest used for education. At present 40% of children go to school with 20% receiving full-time education. Eight children are at high school and six attend university and college. They will eventually choose their own careers that are appropriate to their health and physical abilities. The village receives a little financial help from five associations in France, four in Korea and several in Japan. MSAVLC and Len Aldis are the only ones giving help from the U.K. It has some help from the Vietnamese government.
Dr. Tan stated that equipment was needed for physical therapy, such as chairs and wheelchairs, an ultrasound machine, and also money for the everyday wellbeing of the children.
Again, as in 2009, we visited the room where the bodies of over 100 malformed babies were stored and again we were shocked and saddened.
In the afternoon we were privileged to tour the village and talk and play with the children, many of whom we recognised from our previous visits; Khanh, the 14 year old girl with hydrocephalus and Ca, the lad with the scaly brown skin. Now grown up, he was full of fun and we were pleased to see him smiling, although his hands still have to be restrained to stop him from scratching. His skin itches continually. There were new baby twins both born blind, and many of the children had missing or deformed limbs and deformed faces. One little lad with no legs was using a plastic chair to shuffle at an amazing rate along the corridors!
The staff, as always, were dedicated, kind and loving and doing a 
marvellous job. We met some of the older children who lived at the village and worked outside during the day, and we renewed our acquaintance with Viet Duc. One young man with no lower limbs and only one arm was a renowned painter, and had also won many medals for swimming.
marvellous job. We met some of the older children who lived at the village and worked outside during the day, and we renewed our acquaintance with Viet Duc. One young man with no lower limbs and only one arm was a renowned painter, and had also won many medals for swimming.All in all, the village is doing an amazing job and giving these children the best possible lives they can.
Mary Lidgard