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Students from Madagascar mobilize funds for tsunami victims

ANTANANARIVO, 6 January 2005 - Some thirty students from a local school in the nation’s capital cramped into the UNICEF Representative’s Office in Antananarivo today to present funds they had donated and collected from other students to help child survivors of the Asian Tsunami Disaster.

“We would like you to give these funds to children who can no longer go to school, because we realize how important it is for them to have some sort of a normal life,” said one of the student’s to the UNICEF Representative. “We are now going to make a poster and a television spot that we hope will mobilize other students around the country to also give to the Asian children,” she added.

The students, who are part of La Clairefontaine School and L’Association Jeunes du Monde have been deeply affected by the images and stories from the Tsunami disaster. “We cannot imagine what it must feel like for these children; that is why we wanted to help,” said another student.

“We will ensure that your donation of US$ 225 reaches UNICEF France so that they can ensure the purchase of schools in a box as you have requested,” said UNICEF’s Representative to Madagascar, Barbara Bentein.

The students promised that they would be sending additional funds to UNICEF over the coming days.

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For more information, pleast contact:

Misbah M. Sheikh
Chief, Media and External Relations
UNICEF Madagascar
Off : 261-20 22 626 45/46
Cell : 261-33 11 892 83
Email : msheikh@unicef.org