Today we’d like to introduce the stories of two of the orphans, Xa and Lenh. Both Xa and Lenh are from the Hmong ethnic minority, but come from opposite ends of Ha Giang Province. They both entered the orphanage in 2008, when Xa was only 7 years old, and Lenh and his baby brother were just 4 and 2 years of age. Both Xa and Lenh left the orphanage in 2017, and Xa has since gotten married and has a child of his own, while Lenh is currently back in his village staying with relatives.
When we asked each of them what they needed the most right now, they both came back with the same answer - a proper stove top with pots and pans to cook with.
Now a stove top may not seem like such a big deal - especially as it is a given for a lot of us. But the World Health Organisation estimates that around 3 billion people around the world cook using polluting fires or simple stoves that burn wood, animal dung, and crop waste.
But more importantly, it is the health detriments of this way of cooking that is of concern. Approximately 4 million people each year die prematurely from illnesses that are linked to household air pollution. This pollution can cause strokes, heart disease, lung cancer, and almost half the pneumonia deaths among children under 5 years of age are caused by soot inhaled from household air pollution.
So today we are asking for donations to help Xa and Lenh get proper cooking stoves and cookware to help protect the health of them and their families. For those of you who can, please donate so we help the orphans who’ve left the orphanage get on their feet.
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