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The bank accounts set up by the Home Affairs Department (HAD) immediately after the earthquakes in Sichuan to receive donations for relief operations will be closed on August 1. Citizens and organisations who would like to support relief operations in Sichuan through donations to the "The Secretary for Home Affairs Incorporated - Donations" accounts should do so before the end of this month.
A spokesman for the Home Affairs Department said, "Thanks to the generosity of citizens and organisations, some $210 million has been raised so far. Most of the donations received have already been transferred to the five relief agencies - Hong Kong Red Cross, World Vision Hong Kong, Oxfam Hong Kong, United Nations Children's Fund, and The Salvation Army – for carrying out relief operations." The department will pass the rest of the donations to the agencies after the closing of the accounts.
The focus of support work has now been shifted from relief to reconstruction. Citizens and organisations who want to support reconstruction work in Sichuan can make donations to the newly-established Trust Fund in Support of Reconstruction in the Sichuan Earthquake Stricken Areas. For details, please visit: www.had.gov.hk/en/whats_new/donations.htm
Ends/Friday, July 25, 2008
Issued at HKT 18:21
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