Amid an annual decline in donations, a Christian charity is hoping an annual fundraising run in May can keep its tutoring and care services for more than 3,000 underprivileged students going, as concerns over COVID-19 have led to a 30 percent drop in donations.
The Chinese Christian Relief Association, which has organized the “Let’s Run” event with English magazine Studio Classroom for seven years, provides tutoring and care services for underprivileged children through its 1919 program, the pronunciation of which is similar to “to help to help” (要救要救) in Mandarin.
Amid concerns about COVID-19, business in night markets has dropped and part-time jobs are scarce, which has affected the livelihoods of several underprivileged families, the association said on Tuesday.
The extended winter break for schools has also meant that many children have been left unattended by parents.
Although concerns over the virus have led to 30 percent of classes this year’s classes being canceled, the association is trying to keep the rest going to help underprivileged families weather a difficult time.
Ko Chi-hsien (柯志賢), a program teacher in Tainan, said that he had 80 elementary and junior-high-school students in his winter vacation class, all from low-income or immigrant families in which most parents work long hours and juggle two jobs.
Teachers take students’ temperatures, disinfect the classrooms, and explain the current outbreak situation on a daily basis, Ko said, adding that disease-prevention efforts are also taught.
There has been a drop in donations over the past year and COVID-19 appears to have exacerbated the situation, with last month’s donations down NT$5.94 million (US$196,338), or 30 percent, from January last year, the group said.
While it is important to wear a mask and wash hands frequently, strengthening the body’s immune system is the key, association secretary-general Xia Chong-jian (夏忠堅) said.
Taking part in May’s run would help make participants healthier, but would also contribute to helping the underprivileged, Xia said.
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