Hanoi, 21 December 2011 – CapitaLand staff in Vietnam brought joy to 300 underprivileged children with VND150 million worth of basic necessities as gifts before the new year starts. The children are from four charity groups across Vietnam – Agent Orange Victims in Chuong My District in Hanoi, The Hope Village in Da Nang, as well as The Handicapped Children Center and The Street Children Center of Holy Rosary in Ho Chi Minh City.
On Saturday, 17 December 2011, through Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange (VAVA), staff from CapitaLand Vietnam and The Ascott visited the Agent Orange Victims in a village in Chuong My District. During the visit, the staff gave each family two warm blankets and some food items. The staff also spent time interacting with the children and their families to understand their lifestyle.
Mr Yip Hoong Mun, Deputy CEO of CapitaLand Vietnam, said: “These children are determined to live even though they are born with birth defects caused by dioxin, a deadly substance in ‘Agent Orange’ which was used during the Vietnam war. I am glad to see that these children are delighted when they received the blankets and food which their families cannot afford. Children are our future. Through our regular corporate social responsibility activities, we help them build a better future by supporting them in their education, shelter and healthcare needs. CapitaLand is committed to give back to the local communities as we grow our business in Vietnam. I hope that our gifts will let these children and their families have a warm and joyful Tet.”
Residents from Somerset West Lake, Somerset Grand Hanoi and Somerset Hoa Binh also joined the visit. Mr. Nobby Iseri, resident of Somerset West Lake, said: “This is a very meaningful trip for my family and myself. Through this trip, we learned more about the history of the Vietnam war when we talked to the victims suffering from birth defects caused by ‘Agent Orange’ more than 40 years ago. My daughter made some New Year cards for the children and their families. We look forward to similar activities organized by CapitaLand and Ascott.”
On 2 December 2011, CapitaLand staff in Vietnam visited underprivileged children from The Hope Village in Da Nang and gave them food, school stationeries, and essential products. CapitaLand also contributed food to the needy children from The Handicapped Children Center and The Street Children Center of Holy Rosary in Ho Chi Minh City.
