RM660,700 donation for Syrian refugee children

The Welfare Association of Wives of Ministers and Deputy Ministers (Bakti) and the Global Children's Well-being Fund on Wednesday donated US$200,000 (about RM660,700) to Syrian refugee children at the Jordanian border.

Bakti president Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, who is also the patron of the Global Children's Well-being Fund, presented a mock cheque for the amount to the Ambassador of Jordan to Malaysia Maher Ahmed Lukasha.

A sum of US$150,000 (about RM495,000) was from the Global Children's Well-being Fund and US$50,000 (about RM165,000) from Bakti.

Rosmah quoted reports as saying that nearly 2.3 million children had stopped attending school in Syria, and the situation was similar in refugee-hosting countries.

"As the crisis worsens, it is apparent that a generation of children is at risk of becoming lost. Lost to displacement, lost to poverty and lost to other forms of exploitation as they miss out on education, vaccination and a number of critical interventions.

"The donations, however small, will be able to lighten the sorrow and affliction faced by the children," she said at the event at Seri Perdana, here, Wednesday.

Rosmah said the donation was another manifestation of the goodwill and friendship of the Malaysian people in trying to ease the suffering of those, particularly children, who were affected by misfortune, natural disasters and calamities as well as those affected by wars and conflicts in their countries.

"We also hope to give donations to some victims, especially children and women, when my husband (Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak) visits Turkey, scheduled in April, and I hope to visit the camp," she said.

Rosmah also said that as part of the Global Children's Well-being Fund initiative, the children of Permata Seni presented a charity concert at Istana Budaya on Feb 26 last year to raise funds to provide financial support to children in need all over the world.

"I am proud to say that the children's effort in presenting the concert managed to raise close to RM21 million," she said.

Maher Ahmed, in his address, thanked Malaysia which, he said, continuously provided support and contributions to the refugees, especially in Jordan.

He expressed the hope that the donations from Bakti and the Global Children's Well-being Fund would ease the burden of the refugees.