US organisation honoured for post-war recovery in Vietnam

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Speaking at the event, Vice President and Secretary General of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations Don Tuan Phong said the event aims to honour ROP’s efforts in assisting people worldwide, including those in Vietnam, in recovering from the consequences of war and environment clean-up. 

Phong expressed his thanks to the United Earth, ROP and sponsors for providing support for war-hit areas in Vietnam via effective projects, saying that these areas have developed stably and sustainably, especially in the central province of Quang Tri. 

Founded and managed by Heidi Kuhn, ROP has launched its activities in Vietnam since 2009 via collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Department of International Cooperation to pilot the programme “Agriculture in mountainous Vietnam” in the central provinces of Quang Nam and Quang Tri. 

In Quang Tri, ROP has made efforts in overcoming the consequences of post-war bombs and mines, turning the province into a clean land site and creating livelihoods to local residents. 

Via the programme, hundreds of farmers in localities were trained in cultivation techniques and post-harvest preservation. Their incomes have also improved thanks to bamboo tree planting and fish farming in poor areas. 

In Quang Binh and Thua Thien-Hue, ROP has built cajuput and rattan tree gardens and a wood processing factory, as well as sought markets for paper products in Europe and the US. 

The non-profitable United Earth organisation was established in 1974 by Claes Nobel, descendent of Nobel Prize creator Alfred Nobel. The Earth Ethnics Prize is meant to honour organisations in environment and outstanding philanthropists worldwide.