ASA's Origin, Purpose and Activity
ASA President Steven Sherlock delivering a new laptop computer in Vietnam.
The ASA story began in the winter of 1989 with a return trip to Vietnam by Steve Sherlock, an army officer who completed his tour of duty 20 years earlier. Steve and his wife Donna were part of a small delegation that traveled throughout Vietnam for three weeks. The U.S. economic embargo of Vietnam was still in place at that time and few Americans had visited the country since the war. The Vietnamese people were friendly and eager for communication with Americans, while, at the same time, financially impoverished, politically isolated and tremendously needy. Vietnam was devastated by the embargo and desperate for access to modern technology and equipment.
The 1989 delegation toured government, cultural and public facilities, including schools, hospitals and orphanages. Without exception they found dedicated staff working with virtually no resources, yet striving to accomplish as much as possible under difficult conditions. ASA was born from this experience.
In June of 1989, Steve Sherlock recruited three other combat veterans, John Catterson, Jim Pechin, and Skip Roberts, to join the board of directors and the organization was incorporated. The founding board members shared a deep commitment to the reconstruction of Vietnam and reconciliation between the people of the U.S. and Vietnam. Soon, many people, both veterans and non-veterans joined with ASA to help bring desperately needed humanitarian aid to the people of Vietnam.
Since 1990, ASA has delivered equipment to hospitals and clinics ranging from the farthest northern provinces to the most distant southern deltas of Vietnam. The equipment has included operating tables, exam tables, operating room lights, beds, stethoscopes, syringes, mammograms, incubators, x-ray machines, dialysis machines, and much more.
ASA has always defined its role in medical assistance as one of providing Vietnamese medical professionals with the tools to serve the needs of their people. It respects their ability to define and meet those needs when adequate equipment, supplies and access to information are made available. This philosophy has been critical to ASA's continued success in all program areas.
In addition to ASA's initial focus on equipment delivery, we have also arranged working visits for a variety of medical staff, including a burn team in 1996. ASA also worked with the Woman's Union of Vietnam to provide financial assistance to an HIV prevention program in 1999.
Over the years, ASA has developed a unique role in its work with Vietnam. As one of the first American organizations to assist Vietnam since the war, ASA built strong trust and enduring relationships with key leaders and organizations in Vietnam. These relationships continue to facilitate its work.
In 2000, ASA expanded our activities in Vietnam to include micro-finance and education projects with the WomanÕs Union of Vietnam, and began providing aid to Dominica, a small Carribean country.
A Changing Environment
Much has changed since ASA's work began. The U.S. embargo has ended, bringing diplomatic relations and an influx of businesses hoping to reach Vietnam's vast market of over 80 million people. The government of Vietnam is actively working to create a mixed market economy and an atmosphere of entrepreneurship.
Economic development and modernization have increased access to goods and services. Inevitably, however, there is also a growing disparity between those who are prospering and those being left behind. Social problems such as homelessness, prostitution and street crime are on the rise, and access to education and medical treatment are increasingly dependent upon one's ability to pay for services.
ASA's Continuing Role
As a result of improving economic conditions Vietnam is able to be more selective about which donations of medical equipment they will accept. When the US embargo was in place almost any medical equipment was welcomed because the embargo created such desperate conditions that even items which were not fully serviceable might be recycled or salvaged for some use. When conditions improved in the late 1990's, ASA responded to Vietnam's changing needs by reducing the range of equipment we accepted and focusing on used items, such as x-ray machines, mamograms and ultrasound machines. These machines were often 15 or more years old, but had five or more years of life left in them and were very welcome. The machines were targeted to rural hospitals which were not benefitting from economic growth as much as urban areas. Vietnam has now reached another level in development and has decided to accept donations of these types of machines only if they are five years old or less.
This new policy is very positive because it is an indication of the increasing standard of living in Vietnam and the continued commitment of the Vietnamese government to the good of the people, because sometimes well intentioned donations of older equipment do not function and at best are useless and at worst may cause harm and consume resources. However, the downside of the policy is that some equipment which is very good, even though it is old, is no longer acceptable.
ASA is in the process of defining and implementing the most positive and effective programs for the current conditions. We will continue to confer with PACCOM and the Women's Union in an ongoing effort to explore options for future activities. While ASA has ongoing access to donations of serviceable but older equipment (10 years and older) equipment in the five year or less age range is much less accessible. We will explore the prospect of continuing to supply newer models of the same type of equipment we have been donating, and also of seeking other types of equipment identified by our Vietnamese partners. In addition, we will explore the desirability of placing greater emphasis on other needs such as education or economic development.
AS always, ASA represents a partnership between the people of Vietnam and the United States. The past nineteen years have been a journey of hope, of compassion, of giving and friendship. It has resulted in a strong foundation upon which ASA will continue its work.
ASA will serve Vietnam so long as there are pressing unmet needs. ASA will stay small and unbureaucratic with the flexibility to respond to an ever changing environment. True to its mission, ASA will continually strive to meet the needs of Vietnam as defined by the Vietnamese.