The wives of African countries' ambassadors in Beijing have made a handsome donation to help the plight of China's street children, ahead of the Forum on China-Africa Co-operation.

"We, African mothers, are naturally touched by the plight of children for we have all been exposed to a lot of poverty. Children worldwide suffer most from all sorts of tragedies, whether it's HIV/AIDS pandemic, alcoholism, migration or crime," said Monica Mutsvangwa, wife of Zimbabwe Ambassador to China Christopher H Mutsvangwa.

The contribution from the Group of Spouses of African Heads of Diplomatic Missions in Beijing, the exact amount of which was not specified, was a gesture of their love.

"We hope it can add a little extra comfort to those children who face harsh realities of the street," she said.

"More so we hope this gesture will inspire others."

The donation was made through UNICEF China to help support the Street Children Programme jointly launched by UNICEF China and the Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs.

UNICEF's Child Protection officer Marc Ono said: "UNICEF works closely with the Ministry of Civil Affairs and other partners to implement innovative programmes to help this group of vulnerable children and improve their prospects, so that they too can realize their full potential."

Despite the infrastructure and amenities the central government and city governments have provided, there are still about 150,000 children in China falling through this net.

They turn to the streets due to family neglect, parents' divorce, and domestic violence, according UNICEF.

Appreciating what UNICEF is doing, the African women in Beijing want to "associate with this noble work," says Mutsvangwa, who is also Chair of the Group of Spouses of African Heads of Diplomatic Missions. The group has in the past donated to several charities through the advice of All-China Women's Federation and Association of Former Diplomats of China.

"Our main motive is to bridge the cultural gap and to promote a cordial and harmonious relationship between African and Chinese peoples," she said.

(China Daily 11/02/2006 page2)