PeaceTreesVietnam, a Seattle-based humanitarian organization, is one of the rare and extraordinary responses to the consequences of war that makes us believe that humans might have a chance to survive on our planet. Since 1995 they have been working with Vietnamese people in the Quang Tri Province of Vietnam (a small area that received more bombs than all of Europe in World War II). They find and defuse unexploded ordinance before innocent adults and children are accidently killed or maimed. When the mines are removed, they plant indigenous trees. They provide land risk education, survivor assistance, civilian diplomacy trips, and a range of other supportive activities.
US soldier during Vietnam War
As of 2014, they have:
- Cleared more than 559 acres of land
- Removed more than 69,000 items of unexploded ordnance
- Built more than 100 family homes, 11 libraries, 7 kindergartens, and the Danaan Parry Landmine Education Center
- Provided mone risk education for more than 85,750 people
- Planted more than 43,000 indigenous trees
- Provided assistance to more than 950 landmine survivors
- Hosted more than 633 participants on more than 45 citizen diplomacy missions to Vietnam
Visit them at www.PeaceTreesVietnam.org.
