CD sell for Charity from Leon Lai

CD sell for Charity sung by Leon Lai
10,000 children feared orphaned (STANDARD) 05月 23日 星期五 05:30AM
Unicef is looking for people in Sichuan to open their homes for more than 10,000 children believed to have been orphaned by the earthquake catastrophe.

Executive director Matthew Mo Nam-kit expects it will be a big challenge.

But finding foster families in Hong Kong is out of the question.

We want to ask families living in the same village and community to adopt them, so they can grow in a more familiar environment, Mo said.

We dont want to institutionalize them in orphanages.

Based on the mainlands Ministry of Civil Affairs figures, about 4,000 children have been orphaned up to now and the number is expected to rise to 10,000.

Mo said helping the children overcome their traumatic experience is the main task.

At least 2.3 million children are believed to have suffered physically and emotionally after being rescued from the rubble.

Well send psychiatrists to train local teachers and social workers on what to do to help the orphans, he said.

The organization will also set up community centers for the children.

We need to help them find their families as many are still missing and trapped under the rubble.

The Hong Kong office of Unicef raised HK$40 million to buy tents, blankets and educational kits. To date, HK$4 million worth of relief goods have already been sent.

Its fund-raising target is HK$100 million.

""Cantopop singer Leon Lai Ming, who is Unicef's goodwill ambassador, hopes that by sending computers and toys the children can overcome their traumatic experience by communicating their feelings on the internet.

Renowned local composer Mark Lui Chung-tak and lyricist Lam Jik also wrote a song dedicated to the quake victims.""

Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs Carrie Yau Tsang Ka-lai said Hong Kong has raised more than HK$1 billion in donations so far.

But she warned donors to be cautious to ensure the charity activities are genuine, adding that the department is now "looking into some cases."

Two people were arrested last week for posting their bank account numbers on ATM machines and asking people to deposit donations in them.

The Social Welfare Department also referred to police seven complaints involving unauthorized fund-raising activities in public places.

A Chinese University of Hong Kong telephone poll of 1,111 people showed about 85 percent of people have donated to the quake victims.

More than 99 percent said they are concerned about the news and almost 90 percent said their nationalist feelings have intensified.

Credits: Leon Fans World