Taiwanese rocker Wu Bai (伍佰), who just concluded a charity trip to Lesotho in southern Africa, said he was impressed with the passion for life shown by the country’s people despite their extreme poverty.
Lesotho faces severe food shortages and suffers a high rate of HIV infection, but people in the country always smile and seem happy with what they have, the 41-year-old pop star said.
“After the trip, I started to marvel at everything I have,” Wu said while recalling his trip earlier this month.
As a representative of World Vision Taiwan’s 24th 30-Hour Famine program, the rock star said he had made many friends in Lesotho, entertaining them with his hit song You Are My Flower.
During a visit to a shelter, Wu played music and danced with hundreds of children, the youngest of whom was only three-and-a-half years old.
He also helped to distribute about 2,000 tonnes of rice donated by the foundation to 6,000 families in the landlocked country.
Lesotho has been plagued by unstable rainfall and extreme weather fluctuations, which have led to poor harvests.
Rising commodity prices have also made seeds less affordable for local farmers, resulting in large swaths of land lying fallow.
The foundation launched a campaign together with convenience stores that is to run until March 31, to raise money for the poor in Africa.
For more information, visit www.30hf.org.tw.
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