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The Director of Social Welfare (DSW), Mr Patrick Nip today (December 16) joined the Social Welfare Department (SWD) Choir, volunteers of Project "Angels Act" and DSW wards to participate in the "Carol Singing Festival 2012" of the Child Development Matching Fund (CDMF).
Mr Nip said, "Through today's carol singing, we wish to share the festive joy with the audience here as well as to arouse public concern on the importance of youth development. Members of the public are encouraged to help nurture our future generation and help the needy youngsters through raising money for Savings Matching Fund."
He said that the CDMF, launched in October 2010 as a community organisation, aims to promote child development initiatives to alleviate poverty. The CDMF is a vital strategic partner of the Child Development Fund (CDF). Since the inception of the CDF in 2008, three batches with a total of 40 projects have been approved, involving more than 4,400 children and teenagers. The CDF aims to support the development of children from a disadvantaged background in the longer run by pooling resources from families, the private sector, the community and the Government.
Aside from the SWD choir, the department's staff participating in "Angels Act" also joined today's carol singing. "Angels Act" is a volunteer project launched by the SWD in 2001 to promote volunteerism and recruit colleagues to join as volunteers. This year, 47 teams of volunteers are participating in "Angels Act". These volunteers pay visits to DSW wards when they are off duty, sometimes with their families. These visits enable the wards to share the warmth and pleasure of family life on holidays. Some of the volunteers and their families have joined the project for more than 10 years. Today, some young wards joined the carol singing, making the activity even more meaningful.
Children and teenagers are made wards of the DSW in accordance with the court procedures stipulated in the Protection of Children and Juveniles Ordinance (Cap 213) for various reasons, such as death, loss, imprisonment, long-term hospitalisation or incapability of their parents, or their being unable or unsuitable to live with their family members. As of November 30, 2012, there were 729 DSW wards.
Ends/Sunday, December 16, 2012
Issued at HKT 15:48
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