World Children's Day has been celebrated around the world since 1954, with its main message being the importance of lifting up families living below the poverty line. Initiated by UNICEF, the day commemorates the plight of children in developing countries and, since 1959, it has also been Children's Rights Day. The NGOs and volunteers involved in the World Day aim to raise awareness of the vulnerability of children and the need to protect them.
Although we are confronted with it every day in the media, many of us tend to believe that poverty, hunger and deprivation mainly affect only African countries or people living in war zones. However, it is important to know that this phenomenon is also present in developed countries, and to an astonishing extent in industrially developed cities with good infrastructure, but also in rural areas.
As part of our child feeding programme, this time we launched a toy collection campaign, and in the framework of a civil partnership with the Young Europeans' Federation of Hungary (JEF), we will present 60 children with gifts. On 20 September, at 17:00, we will distribute toys and sweets to the children at the BMSZKI Family Transition Home, and we will also organise a musical programme, activities and balloon-folding.
Care providers, care homes and local authorities themselves are facing an increasingly difficult situation due to the continuous rise in food prices and decreasing subsidies, so any unity is particularly important now. For our current toy distribution campaign, for example, small companies and individuals have donated money. We received mainly used toys, but in good condition and of good quality. We will distribute them to a temporary shelter for large families in need, e.g. those who have not been able to pay their mortgage or their utility bills because they have been out of work for a long time and have several children to feed. A tower block has been converted for them, with a playroom in the basement. It may seem unbelievable, but in a few bad years anyone can find themselves in a situation like this, and it's hard to get up from here," says Péterné Szilaj, spokesperson for the foundation.
Our Foundation sees a great strength in the civil sector, because our organisation must be a tool, a real intermediary between the person who helps and the person who needs help. Although our Foundation prepares special actions for people in need on almost every major World Food Day, every day is World Food Day. We have also prepared various programmes for the national Heritage Days in mid-September, as we consider helping the needy and showing mercy to other living beings to be our most important cultural heritage.
The World Day for Food and the Fight against Poverty, which is just a month away, is also an excellent opportunity to raise awareness of those in need. At the same time, every day is already World Food Day for us, as we distribute more than 1,000 meals a day in the capital alone. We will continue to welcome donations to organise similar activities and to develop our childcare programme.
On the occasion of the World Day, the organisers welcome the media to the event!
For further information please contact Péterné Csilla Szilaj 30 243 14 86