'Power of 10 Sen' Raises Funds for Gaza Children
Saturday, 21 March 2009 10:53 happy24n7
March 9, 2009, Kuala Lumpur – Malaysia Children in Malaysia are taking the lead in showing how they too can make a difference in the life of underprivileged children. Through the Power of 10sen, the collective action of giving small contributions of 10sen is becoming a nationwide movement of peace that is set to help children around the world.
The Power of 10 Sen recently launched its Gaza Dibela (Gaza will be cared for), By Children for Children charity drive at the Peace Convocation in Conjunction with the Global Peace Tour at the University of Malaya. This campaign will collect donations to help Palestinian children suffering in the armed conflict in Gaza.
The charity drive also aims to inculcate a culture of peace and a deep realization that we are but one global family. The pain and suffering experienced by someone from another part of the world is also our immediate concern.
Datin Paduka Seri Rosmah Mansor, wife of Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak launched the Peace Convocation. "It is very timely to launch this campaign as children are always the biggest victims of war. They deserve to grow up in a peaceful environment with parental love and good education,” she said in her address. She also believed that peace could only be attained when the Power of Love would replace the Love of Power, adding that the "Power of 10 Sen -- By the Children for the Children" campaign was heading towards such a goal of peace.
The charity drive is jointly organized by the Universal Peace Federation (UPF) of Malaysia and Malaysian Red Crescent Society. Tan Sri Zaleha, President of UPF Malaysia said that the goal of the campaign is to raise RM300,000 which will be channeled through Malaysian Red Crescent Society (MRCS) International Relief Fund and used for humanitarian programmes in Gaza. The donation drive will last from Feb 25 and would end on May 12.
As part of this campaign, MRCS had distributed 10,000 donation boxes to schools while the National Unity and Integration Department had distributed 5,000 donation boxes to their kindergartens nationwide.
Tan Sri Zaleha, the president of UPF Malaysia said in her welcome remarks: "All a child has to do is to drop in 10 sen a day. To set a good example, the parent of each child should drop in 10 sen 10 times a day. So, let us educate our children to express compassion and to affirm the righteous path of peace by encouraging them to give something of theirs to other children suffering in depressed parts of the world."
Two Gazan children Muhammed and Mo’men, 6 and 5 year of age made an appearance on stage during the launching ceremony. They just arrived from Gaza a week ago with their parents. Their home was damaged in the recent conflict and they hope to start a new life in Malaysia. According to the father, most of the children in Gaza are still living in poverty and without proper education.
Also present at the Peace Convocation was UPF Asia Co-chairman Dr Lek Thaveetermsakul. Representing Universal Peace Federation (UPF) International Chairman, he conveyed the Chairman’s Peace Message. He emphasized that the “Vision to create One Family under God is not the dream of just one man, one woman, one family or one religion, but the dream of all humanity and, most of all, the dream of God. The ‘Power of 10 sen’ programme is a great start in cultivating this culture of peace, towards One Family under God among the youths and children of Malaysia.”
A cheque of RM 10,000 was presented on behalf of UPF Malaysia by its President Tan Sri Zaleha Ismail to MRCS and received by its National Chairman Tunku Tan Sri Shahriman Tunku Sulaiman.
During the event, six leaders from various fields were conferred with the Ambassadors for Peace Awards for their noteworthy achievements of service to others. They were Tunku Tan Sri Dato’ Shahriman (National Chairman of Malaysian Red Crescent Society), Dato’ Azman Amin (Director Genaral, Department of National Unity & Integration), Dato' Jimmy Lim Thaw Chay (Past District Governor, Rotary International District 3300), Datin Nursiah Sulaiman, Hon.Secretary General, National Council of Women’s Organisation, Hon. Dr. Peter B Woodroof, Executive Vice President, Genting Oil & Gas Berhad, and Lt. Gen. Datuk Hj Shahron bin Hj Ibrahim RMAF, Chief of Staff, Malaysian Armed Forces Headquarters, Ministry of Defence.
More than one thousand five hundred participants filled to capacity the Dewan Tunku Canselor of University of Malaya. They were from 12 universities and colleges, secondary schools, NGOs and government departments. Also present were the Ambassador of Palestine Embassy, representatives from the Embassy of Croatia, Timor-Leste, Azerbaijan, Namibia High Commission as well minister’s wives from BAKTI.
UPF Malaysia and MRCS would like to thank University Malaya for lending its support and sponsorship of Tunku Chancellor Hall, the Ministry of Education and the National Unity and Integration Department Ministry of Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage for their enthusiasm in seeing this as a project to instill a sense of collective responsibility in children and also to all the celebrities and performers who had performed for charity, including Jaclyn Victor, Suki, host & emcee - Juliana Ibrahim, Sri Saraswathi Devi Bharathalaya, National Culture & Arts Department and The KL Children’s Choir.
A note of thanks also to the sponsors Patco Malaysia Berhad and Ribena.
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