Operation USA History

Operation USA was founded in 1979 to help Vietnamese refugees. Our first relief flight was to a refugee camp on Malaysia’s Pulau Bidong Island and then to camps in Thailand, Hong Kong and The Philippines. In 1980, we helped negotiate key parts of the Orderly Departure Program (ODP) as intermediaries between the Vietnam and US governments.

Operation USA’s work was recognized by President Reagan in 1983 when he awarded us the President’s Volunteer Action Award for our work in Indochina.

In 1980, we began working directly in Vietnam to provide clinics and hospitals with medical supplies; medical and dental schools with books and equipment; agricultural programs with seeds and animals. Since 1990, OpUSA has funded rural credit programs with enough funds to make over 5000 “micro-loans” to rural women involved in raising animals and producing or selling food. In 2001, we gave 4,995 scholarships paying school fees for children in Dong Nai Province.

Overall, more than $40 million in aid has been sent to Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand by OpUSA since 1979. More than 600 local health personnel have received specialized training in public health. They disseminate information to the wider population on four critical issues: child rearing, food preparation, personal hygiene and community sanitation.

One of Operation USA's most vital programs was supported by our 26-year association with the Centre for Pediatrics, Development and Health in Dong Nai Province, Vietnam, and our relationship with its director, Dr. Duong Quynh Hoa, who died in late 2005. Operation USA's support helped implement a multi-year plan which included nutrition training, small agricultural micro enterprise lending, personal savings and upgrading the local health infrastructure.

The small agricultural micro enterprise lending project paid for mango plants which were nurtured to grow which enabled the participants to sell mangoes to major hotels in Saigon. The money generated paid for the salaries for 170 healthcare workers in Dong Nai Province. This “cross-subsidization” formed the basis of “smart aid” which tackles persistent poverty on multiple levels.

Today’s Microenterprise Programs

OpUSA funded microenterprise programs now involve more than 5000 families. Operation USA has no expatriate staff based in Vietnam – yet we work in partnership with a partner NGO (Mekong Plus). Operation USA assists in planning, materials acquisition, funding and evaluation of the projects. Operation USA funds are invested as small-scale economic assistance through loans, grants, technical training and assistance with marketing of harvested products. These microenterprise activities increase family incomes through a variety of agricultural ventures, allowing children to stay in school longer and increase access to healthcare. The result is a higher standard of living for the entire community.

Combating Avian Flu

With the grave danger presented by the avian flu (bird flu), many of the over 5000 families in Vietnam which have benefited from Operation USA’s micro-enterprise lending, have had to find alternative incomes to replace poultry farming. OpUSA funded a much-needed agricultural development program through Mékong Plus, which has developed alternative income-generating projects to take the place of raising chickens.

With small-scale rabbit and pig farming, there is relatively modest cost and risk. Farmers’ groups are formed and meetings are regularly held to facilitate the exchange of ideas on the best techniques and inputs, with assistance from agronomists, who act as facilitators and provide technical support. At least 1 technician is trained in every commune and is responsible for participating in all training sessions, assisting the Mékong Plus program as well as the district agriculture extension office.