Two year-old Yu Chih-hao (于志浩) sat calmly in his aunt's arms and looked at the crowds inside Taipei Railway Station before getting on a train the the 14th 30-Hour Famine Camp. Yu was a popular figure at the event organized by World Vision Taiwan and convenience-store chain 7-Eleven, which started yesterday.
"We have taken him to various World Vision gatherings in the past, and his parents are pretty cool about it. Although he cannot help out, he makes us laugh. We did not take him here to get special attention," said Yu Ai-hua (于愛華), the toddler's aunt and a long-time World Vision Taiwan volunteer.
The Famine Camp was started in Taiwan in 1989 by Christian humanitarian aid organization World Vision. The camp offers participants a chance to experience the sufferance of people in hunger, and its helps raise fund for World Vision's relief plans.
PHOTO: SEAN CHAO, TAIPEI TIMES
The campaign this year is conducted under the theme of "Hunger is endurable but lives cannot wait."
The majority of the registration fee from participants will go toward needy families suffering from hunger, war and illness in 15 different countries.
"This time we will focus on relief plans for African countries suffering from famine, post-war reconstruction in Iraq, malaria prevention and Taiwanese families in need," said Hank Du (杜明翰), executive director of World Vision Taiwan.
This year the camp is being held at National Chung Hsing University in Taichung and boosts the highest attendance ever.
More than 3,800 participants assembled at the university in the afternoon, and many of them took the special famine trains from Taipei and Kaohsiung.
During the 30 hours, the participants will take part in various games and contests, including role-play of refugees, fundraising simulations and decorating the venue with greeting cards for the victims of disasters around the world.
"One-sixth of the world's population is in constant hunger, but most people in Taiwan do not understand the pain. The famine camp offers Taiwanese a good chance to experience that feeling," said Reverend Chow Lien-Hwa (周聯華), the 84-year old chairman of World Vision Taiwan who has attended the camp since it began.
Chow said that this year they hope to raise NT$100 million for their relief actions.
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