US Assistant Secretary of State joins child helmet campaign
More than 670 students and teachers at the October 20 Kindergarten in Hanoi received free helmets during a visit by US Assistant Secretary of State Charles Rivkin on May 27.
They are part of a total of 25,000 child helmets to be donated for children throughout Vietnam under a partnership between US Department of State and Asia Injury Prevention (AIP) Foundation – an NGO working to prevent road injuries and fatalities.
Under the partnership, AIP Foundation will work with US corporate sponsors to organize events and helmet donations for at-risk schools supporting the pre-existing Helmets for Kids program.
“Today we witness two governments jointly addressing their concerns for children’s safety,” Greig Craft, President of AIP Foundation.
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| Children at the October 20 Kindergarten in Hanoi receive free helmets on May 27. Photo credit: AIP Foundation |
“Today we witness two governments jointly addressing their concerns for children’s safety,” Greig Craft, President of AIP Foundation.
“Road deaths are preventable. The 20th anniversary of US-Vietnam diplomatic relations is an opportunity to highlight—and tackle—these issues across two nations.”
Khuat Viet Hung, Vice Executive Chairman of the National Traffic Safety Committee, said that children are extremely vulnerable and need protection most while travelling on roads.
“The National Traffic Safety Committee strongly affirms that it’s necessary to put helmets on children when on a motorbike,” he said.
In 2000, former President Bill Clinton launched Helmets for Kids in Ho Chi Minh City. The program was launched in Hanoi 15 ago at the 20 October Kindergarten by then-Senator John Kerry.