Monday, October 30, 2006

Taiwan Civic Groups Donate Books To Cambodian Children

Bangkok, Oct. 29 (CNA) - A Taipei district Rotary club, in conjunction with the Taiwan-based charity Field Relief Agency, recently donated NT$1 million worth of books and stationery to schoolchildren in Cambodia, one of the world's poorest countries.

A presentation ceremony was held for schoolchildren representing 68 elementary schools in a remote Cambodian province, which was attended by secretary-general of that country's education ministry, high-ranking local officials and nearly 1,000 elementary school representatives, said Tsai Song-chi, head of the Taipei district Rotary club.

He said the Rotary International selects some of the most needy areas to offer assistance every year. This year, he added, the club chose to donate books to schoolchildren in the border area of Cambodia.

Tsai said that giving books is one of the most meaningful acts, hoping the donation will meet the goal of making books accessible to the schoolchildren and further encouraging them to read.

According to Tsai, the project was initiated by the Field Relief Agency, a Taiwan charity group which for years has been working to help homeless children in Cambodia.

A total of 6,000 textbooks were donated to the 68 Cambodian schools, and the books will be reused by other schoolchildren in future. "The Cambodian kids were delighted by the donation. They looked at the books and stationery as if they had received this year's Christmas presents early," Tsai said.

(By Wu Hsieh-chang and Y.L. Kao)

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