AmeriCares Delivers Humanitarian Aid to Vietnam

AmeriCares Foundation
Monday, 27 November 2000

AmeriCares, the international and domestic disaster relief organization, announced today that 45,000 pounds of humanitarian aid will be delivered to the flood-ravaged nation of Vietnam. In the aftermath of President Clinton's recent historic visit to the country, the AmeriCares shipment will help alleviate the suffering endured by thousands of flood victims.

In Vietnam, floodwaters have now surpassed the historic floods of 1961 and 1966, and water levels are expected to continue rising. The worst damage has occurred in the provinces of An Giang, Dong Thap and Long An in southern Vietnam with downstream provinces also affected. In some areas, waters are between 6-16 feet above flood stage. Half a million people have been affected. Thousands of families have been forced to flee their homes and have taken refuge atop crumbling earthen dikes, which are also in danger of collapse.

"It is not only our honor, but our duty to lend a hand to the thousands left homeless by these devastating floods," says Robert Macauley, Founder and Chairman of AmeriCares.

AmeriCares retains a deep interest in the health and well being of the Vietnamese people. In the last decade AmeriCares has been able to provide disaster relief and on-going assistance through partnerships with local community healthcare organizations and non-governmental organizations. In November 1996 AmeriCares, in partnership with the Vietnam-USA Society, airlifted medicines and medical supplies to Hanoi in response to severe flooding in Ninh Binh, Nong Cong and Van Giang districts. In February 2000, AmeriCares worked with the Giao Diem Humanitarian Foundation to deliver medicines, nutritional supplements and medical supplies to the flood victims in the cities of Hue, Quang Tri and Da Nang. AmeriCares continues to work with the Giao Diem Foundation to support primary healthcare clinics, mobile medical missions and orphanages in the Hue region.

For more information, or to contact AmeriCares Foundation, see their website at: www.americares.org