Field visits with “Roots of Peace”

Last week, I had unforgettable field visits with the Roots of Peace (ROP) team to the farms in former DMZ, Quang Tri, Vietnam.

During the American-Vietnam War, more bombs were dropped on Vietnam than World War I and II combined. Quang Tri was the front-line, and famous battlefields such as Khe San, Cam Lo, and Vinh Linh remain contaminated with unexploded ordnance over 40 years since the war ended in 1975. 7 years ago, Roots Of Peace began working with local government to eradicate landmines/UXO/cluster munition in Quang Tri province, training farmers to grow high value crops.

The project went very successfully over the past years, I was there with Heidi Kunh, the founder of ROP and member of Rotary Club of San Francisco #2 (RCS’ sister club), and the delegation of 7 people to witness ROP in action. I am personally very impressed by Heidi’s high dedication, compassion and good energy she brings to this meaningful program and those victims of landmine explosion.

Roots of Peace recently has received the Global Grant by the Rotary Club of San Francisco #2, and as well as the funds sponsored by RCS member Frank Yih, to plant trees on former battlefields in Quang Tri, Vietnam, aiming turn mines to vines!