VietNamNet Bridge – Nguyen Duc is used to being in the limelight.

"The foreign media, especially Japanese, have been following me since my brother Viet and I had the surgery, during my wedding, at the birth of my children birth and now."

"Now" refers to the 50th anniversary of the infamous day when American forces began spraying the toxic defoliant Agent Orange over Viet Nam, causing untold suffering for millions of Vietnamese citizens through several generations.

Duc, perhaps the most well known Agent Orange victim, has been staying at a hotel in Cao Thang Street for the last few days.

He has been asked to do this in order to greet and receive Japanese Professor Fujimoto Bunro, head of the Negaukai Association, who is in Viet Nam to mark the occasion. Duc, who has only one leg and moves around on crutches but never sits in front of his superiors as a sign of respect, is deeply grateful to Bunro and others for establishing the Negaukai Association.

The association raised money for the surgery that separated him from his twin brother Nguyen Viet 23 years ago. They were born conjoined at the hip.

"I owe a big debt to the Japanese people and the Negaukai Association, who helped us from the time of the surgery until now."

A team of 70 Vietnamese doctors and nurses separated Nguyen Duc from his brother Nguyen Viet on October 4th, 1988, in a 15-hour operation. Duc's brother, Nguyen Viet, died on October 6th, 2007 after a lifelong affliction of cerebral palsy.

Duc, who has been able to live a happy and productive life since the operation thanks to the love and support he has received, said his hope is that the country and the international community give much more support to Agent Orange victims.

"Fifty years is a long time. It's enough for us to forget even the most serious pains, but the consequences and pain of the people who suffer from Agent Orange remain until now."

Nguyen Duc added that he is now very happy with his wife, Nguyen Thi Thanh Tuyen, whom he married five years ago. They have a pair of twins, a boy and a girl, who turn two this year.

"The happiest thing in my life is to see my children born without congenital anomalies or other AO impacts. I miss my children every time I am at work."

He said the country and several associations have done a lot, but 35 years after the end of the war, the country's economic development has not been able to offer victims the support that other countries have given their own victims.

"I dare not dream that Viet Nam can take care of AO victims like other countries because the country's economic development is slow and number of victims is huge," Duc said.

For his part, he participates in several charitable activities of several organisations and canvasses support for other victims not as fortunate as him.

Duc, 30 years old now, enjoys an almost normal life like other young people. He loves playing football although he has only one leg, and does bodybuilding to keep himself fit.

He works as an IT expert at the foreign affairs office of the Hoa Binh (Peace) Village, which is administered by HCM City's Tu Du Hospital. He has visited Japan 33 times and can speak Japanese well because he learned it in his teens. He passed an IT course in 1999.

Duc, who was born in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai – Kon Tum, now has an apartment on Dien Bien Phu Street in HCM City's District 10, thanks in part to a loan from the hospital and gifts from local doctors and other citizens.

Duc said he had been very lucky to have received a lot of support throughout his life, but millions of other AO victims needed help.

"The community should create more conditions for the victims to integrate, not leave them lonely and isolated."

Youth support Agent Orange victims

Most people would baulk at walking 1,560km, but for 500 volunteers it was the least they could do to raise funds for Agent Orange victims and publicise environment and social issues.

The walk from Sen Village to Nha Rong Wharf, which reached its target yesterday, was organised by the Green Journey Project, launched in 2008 and now a charity project under the Oriental Culture Research Group.

The event also marked the 100th anniversary of the day President Ho Chi Minh left Viet Nam to seek ways to liberate the country and 50 years since the Agent Orange disaster in Viet Nam.

It started on July 3 from Sen Village, President Ho's hometown in the central province of Nghe An, and ended in Nha Rong Wharf in HCM City, the port from which he departed.

The volunteers passed through 16 provinces and cities. The oldest walker was Huynh Thi Kieu Mien, 78, while terminal cancer patient Huynh Thi Kieu Thu, 60, who rode a bicycle throughout Viet Nam, also joined the trek.

Along the route, the volunteers organised music performances to raise funds for Agent Orange victims, publicised environment and traffic safety issues, helped local people clean up their areas and presented gifts, computers and books for Agent Orange children and poor students.

The walkers raised nearly VND150 million (US$7,100) for their efforts.

In the hot central region, the walkers departed at daybreak while people were still sleeping and rested at midday in high temperature.

Some suffered sunstroke, many fainted in the heat, others were tired and there were numerous blistered feet, keeping the accompanying ambulance crew busy.

One of the walkers, Mai Ha, 20, said she had lied to her parents, telling them she was participating in a summer course. She thought they wouldn't allow their weak girl to walk such a long way. Her father had returned from war in poor health but had not suffered Agent Orange symptoms. She can talk, see and study while many children can't.

That was the reason she joined the walk, to help the disadvantaged people, she said.

"We saw and helped many poor families, disabled children and lonely elders," she said. "I believe that I made the right decision to join the journey.

"I'm happy to stand in the ranks of hundreds of young people who share the same will to help the community."

Nguyen Thi Tien, 23, had previously travelled to the central region by bus and train but had never thought she would one day walk the route. She said it had been the most meaningful summer holiday ever.

"We received a warm welcome by all the local people in the regions we came across," she said.

"Once we passed a field at dusk where farmers were working. Seeing us, they ran to the road to talk with us, share water and encourage us. That was an unforgettable moment."

Musician Nguyen Cuong joined the volunteers in a charity show in Nha Trang. He expressed admiration for the young people who had walked so far.

During the war, many young soldiers walked along the same route. The volunteers are repeating their effort, he said.

"This is a feat of mental and physical determination. These young people overcame difficulties during the trip and learnt to help each other. It is such a lofty and beautiful ideal to walk for peace, the environment and humanity," Cuong said.

"The soles of their shoes were worn out, that's the proof of what they experienced, learnt and achieved along the road."

The walk was the fourth such charity event which in all attracted nearly 1,000 volunteers. The previous journeys were finished by bicycles.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News