Starbucks to help raise cash for Aboriginal kids

In its seventh straight year of cooperation with World Vision Taiwan (WVT) in support of education for Aboriginal children, Starbucks Coffee recently kicked off a three-month charity sale at all its coffee shops around the nation to raise money to subsidize needy kids' school fees.

Mugs and pen holders with the picture of an "A-nai" doll on them are on sale at the coffee shops for the fund-raising drive. Customers can also donate directly by placing cash in the charity fund boxes set up at the coffee shops.

The annual WVT-Starbucks charity drive was first held in 1999 with the goal of providing disadvantaged Aboriginal children living in remote mountainous areas with access to educational facilities. The latest campaign, which will run through Aug. 31, aims to raise NT$5.5 million (US$176,000) to support 1,500 needy children living in the Jenai, Hsinyi and Hopin townships in Nantou County, according to WVT.

WVT hosted a party in Taipei on Saturday for 20 children from Honghsiang village in Jenai Township to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival.

A volunteer worker for the international organization, which has been supporting disadvantaged children around the world, said that access to the remote village has been blocked on many occasions in recent years due to weather conditions. The rainy season, which started last month, has led to the closure of the only road leading into the village for two weeks.

This not only affects the transport of supplies to the mountainous village, but also impacts key businesses, such as tourism, resulting in economic losses to the residents of the village. With most of the families in the village struggling just to make enough to eat, there are few resources left over to support the education of children, the WVT worker said.