A humanitarian group called on Taiwan's youngsters to donate part of their pocket money to a relief campaign to help children in Afghanistan.
"We want the kids to know that, through these donations of theirs, they can help Afghan children survive the harsh conditions of war, especially with winter now so close," said Tim Shao (
World Vision Taiwan is encouraging Taiwan's children to donate NT$10 of their daily allowances, starting yesterday, until the end of December. The organization hopes to raise NT$8 million through the campaign.
The fund would be used to provide Afghanistan's children with medicine, shelter, nutrition, health, sanitary facilities, winter clothes and blankets. It will also provide the logistics to deliver these things, Shao said.
Taking the lead in supporting the campaign, 60 kindergarten children from Dalson School at the press conference yesterday brought their moneybox, saying they wanted to be "little heroes."
"By participating in this campaign," Shao said, "we hope youngsters can develop a sense of compassion toward those in need.
"We believe it is important to cultivate this virtue when they are young."
According to the latest report released by the UN in early October, there are at least two million undernourished child refugees on the verge of death in or around Afghanistan.
Shao said, "Due to the lack of medicines, as many as one-quarter of the children in Afghanistan die of treatable diseases before they reach 5 years of age."
Shao said World Vision has so far collected more than US$2 million for the humanitarian effort in Afghanistan.
World Vision Taiwan is a member of the international Christian aid organization World Vision.
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