World Children's Fund contributes to appeal
The World Children's Fund, an international charity group, has given a boost to this year's Operation Santa Claus by donating HK$150,000 to the annual appeal.
This is the group's ninth year of supporting Operation Santa Claus and it expects to extend a helping hand to disadvantaged children in Hong Kong through the annual charity drive.
'Operation Santa Claus and the World Children's Fund have parallel and complementary aims. That is to help the children in need,' said Joseph Lam, founder and president of the organisation.
'We spread our activity widely, helping in disaster relief projects, children's homes and orphanages, rescue operations, community developments, feeding programmes and educational programmes.'
In the 2004-05 year, the fund provided support totalling HK$13 million to children and families who were abandoned, endangered, exploited, homeless, hungry or sick, in Asia and Africa.
China is one of the countries in which the group is active and over the past three years it has provided 9 million meals for mainland children in poverty-stricken areas.
Dr Lam, who was born in Hong Kong and immigrated to the United States as a child, set up the World Children's Fund in 1996.
Over the past decade, the organisation has established branches in Hong Kong, Austria, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Japan, the Philippines and Britain, where funds are raised through its Global Care and Share Network.
'We believe every child has the right to live a life of hope and promise,' Dr Lam said.
Although he spends much of his time travelling the world, Dr Lam has never forgotten the disadvantaged children in his birth place.
'With the help of OSC, our work will benefit even more children and also those in need closer to home,' Dr Lam said.
