Power of 10 sen proven

PETALING JAYA: The power of the humble 10 sen coin was proven when RM143,730.10 was collected by more than half a million children throughout the nation in two months.

Launched on March 12, The Power of 10 Sen: Gaza DiBela campaign is a humanitarian effort whose patron is Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, wife of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

The campaign saw children from schools and kindergartens collect 10 sen coins from the public to help children in war-torn Gaza.

A total of 7,000 coin boxes were distributed to 300 primary and secondary schools, while 5,000 boxes were given to 1,600 kindergartens.

Children as young as four were among the donors.

At the end of the campaign on May 12, 1.4 million 10 sen coins were collected.

Rosmah said that as the amount collected fell short of the targeted RM300,000, the Association of Wives of Ministers and Deputy Ministers (Bakti) would top up the fund to RM150,000.

“It is a natural for children not to see boundaries. They are colour-blind and they do not discriminate because of colour or creed,” she said at the ceremony to present a mock cheque to the Ambassador of Palestine Abdelaziz Abughoush at Universiti Malaya here yesterday.

Rosmah said the campaign was a good effort not only because it helped raise money for the Gaza children but also showcased Malay- sian children’s willingness to help children in other parts of the world, especially in war-torn areas.

The campaign was jointly organised by the Universal Peace Federation of Malaysia and Malaysia Red Crescent Society, in collaboration with the National Unity and Integration Department and Uni- versiti Malaya.