Sending Help Around The World (NAPSA)—It seems many Americans are given to helping others. People in the U.S. gave more than $187 billion to charity in one year alone, according to Giving USA. Additionally, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that more than 60 million people volunteered in 2007. Much of this giving—beit of time or money—helps people in need around the world. Among other projects, Americans have helped fund drinking water and education initiatives, as well as vaccination and health clinics. Now U.S. donors can help improve the lives of children with disabilities living in Vietnam— including many who may be affected by exposure to dioxin left over from the spraying of Agent Orange during the Vietnam War. The U.S. Fund for UNICEF recently announced the launch of a fundraising campaign to raise $1 million for the cause. All dona- tions to the program will be matched dollar for dollar by a $1 million grant from the Ford Foundation. Helping WhereIt’s Needed Vietnam is hometo a disproportionately large number of people with disabilities, including an estimated 1.2 million children, many of whom will be helped by the UNICEFprogram. The organization, which has implemented programs in Vietnam since 1975, will coordinate a community-based intervention plan in the south-central city of Da Nang. The plan will provide, among other things, training to social workers, teachers and wel- U.S. Fund for UNICEF President and CEO Caryl Stern visiting children with disabilities in Vietnam. fare workers—all with the end goal of improving children’s lives. Smart Solutions It’s thought that one-third of Vietnamese families with disabled children have never sought treatment for their disabilities while only one-fifth of disabled children use the proper rehabilitative aids such as wheelchairs, prosthetic limbs, or hearing aids. Additionally, only a small number of children access the social assistance to which they are entitled and the vast majority of disabled children in Vietnam do not finish primary school. It’s hoped that with Americans’ help, the new UNICEF program can help turn those statistics around. Getting Involved For more than 60 years, UNICEF hasprovided lifesaving nutrition, clean water, education, protection and emergency re- sponse, saving more younglives than any other humanitarian organization in the world. To learn more or to donate to the group’s efforts in Vietnam, visit www.unicefusa.org.
