At weekends, the Shelter No 3 of Da Nang’s Care Centre for Agent Orange (AO) Victims and Disadvantaged Children, located in Hoa Vang District's Hoa Nhon Commune, is always filled with laugh as the centre’s children become actively involved in playing folk games with young volunteers.

Mr Tuan introducing AO and disadvantaged children how to play folk games

The games include playing marbles, ‘o an quan’ (mandarin square capturing), throwing rings and cans, singing, dancing, and camping.

These fun and meaningful activities are under the ‘Returning to Childhood Memories’ programme which is part of the ‘Angle Smile’ project.

The intention of the programme is to create an entertainment space for disadvantaged and AO children to help them integrate into the community and replay their favourite childhood games.

Mr Bui Trung Hieu, Deputy Director of the Shelter No 3, said his shelter is caring for 60 AO children. In particular, the centre opens vocational courses such as sewing, and making chiffon flowers and incenses, for children of different age groups.

Deputy Director Hieu highlighted the significance of the programme in creating a useful playground for his centre’s children during summer days as their parents are busy with work, so they do not have time for their children.

Also attending in the ‘Returning to Childhood Memories’ programme are children from the ‘Hoa Xuong Rong’ (Cactus flowers) Centre for Early Intervention and Inclusive Education Support, positioned at 15 Thi Sach in Hai Chau District.

Mr Nguyen Xuan Viet from the Hoa Xuong Rong Centre remarked that most of the centre’s children are suffering from developmental disabilities, language delay, hyperactivity and intellectual disabilities. Therefore, the centre is responsible for helping these children to well integrate into society.

“We often organise outdoor activities for the disabled children, and take them to the sea, and water and amusement parks, once a month. Recently, these children have been actively involved in playing folk games at the Shelter No 3, which is considered as an exciting experience for them”, Mr Viet added.

The ‘Angels Smile’ project started more than 2 years ago and its members are young people who have special love for children, especially those with disabilities and AO victims. Over the past 2 years, despite facing many difficulties and challenges, the youth have implemented many meaningful activities to create joy, happiness, and laughter for disadvantaged and AO children.

Apart from the ‘Returning to Childhood Memories’ programme, the project features numerous charity activities.

The photo project is a typical example. Under the project, autistic, AO and disadvantaged children with uniform dream job in the future have been captured in their beautiful photos.  This meaningful activity has helped families of these children feel very happy as they have seen their disadvantaged children develop normally. After that, these photos have been printed and presented to the children and their families.

“The purpose of the project is to create a different perspective of children, thereby changing the way families and society interact with them. Disadvantaged children also want to have normal spiritual lives and childhood like normal ones", Mr Nguyen Viet Tuan, the manager of the ‘Angels Smile’ project.