World Vision Taiwan yesterday initiated a 1,000-hour-long program seeking sponsors to support children in need around the world.
The program, which was announced yesterday in the spirit of Thanksgiving, aims to find 10,000 sponsors.
"Taiwan used to be a place where our children received sponsorships from people who lived abroad. It is quite a miracle how our own people can now actually sponsor children who live abroad," said Hank Du (杜明翰), executive director of World Vision.
There are approximately 60,000 long-term sponsors every year who help needy children through World Vision Taiwan. A total of 82,846 children are sponsored every year: 27,809 children live in Taiwan, and 55,039 children live in 26 other countries.
The cost of sponsorship per child is either NT$700 or NT$1,000 per month.
World Vision Taiwan also runs the sponsorship program through the organization's official Web page: www.worldvision.org.tw
According to information provided by the organization, most sponsors fall between the age range of 25 and 45, and their monthly income ranges from NT$5,000 to NT$50,000 or higher. Taipei City and County account for 50 percent of overall sponsors in Taiwan.
Sponsored children live across three continents and in countries that are impoverished by civil war, natural calamity or disease.
Stefanie Sun (孫燕姿), a pop diva in Taiwan who is also a World Vision Taiwan ambassador, is taking time out of her busy album promotion schedule and heading to India next week.
Despite a recent food-poisoning incident, Sun is planning a six-day visit to four slums in Calcutta. Sun sponsors a World Vision Taiwan child in India.
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