Report by Syed Sibtain Shah
More than 220 million Norwegian Kroner equal to US$ 25 million were collected in a fund raising move in Norway for Children’s Education in war affected areas of Pakistan and four other countries.
The one-day fundraising campaign was conducted by Norway’s state run TV (NRK) and beside other people Norwegian Pakistanis specially their children also participated in the drive on Sunday.
According to the media reports, the amount will be utilized through UNICEF in areas affected by war and conflict in Pakistan, Colombia, Mali, Syria and southern Sudan.
Organisers of the campaign “TV Action 2017” said, when children in war and conflict do not get education, a whole country’s future is at stake. This year’s television campaign will help to provide schooling in these countries and we hope for better future of children in these war areas.
It was reported that one in five children in war and conflict areas today has no schooling. UNICEF is working hard and targeted to provide help in education of the children who are suffering because of the wars and conflicts, the organisers said.
The Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation NRK’s annual fundraising is the largest this kind of collective action in the world, measured in the number of volunteers and collection of funds in a day from the Norwegian masses.
7,000 volunteers throughout the country organize the collection of funds through 500 municipal and district committees.
The TV show was organized every year since 1974 and so far has provided vital help to millions of people in the world.
An independent and separate collection council appointed by the NRK, receives and evaluates applications from those wishing to be assigned to NRK’s television campaign. The Broadcasting Chief and NRK’s top managers make the final decision about the selection of the people for the campaign. The collection council has an important task to ensure how to use the amount.
During the one-day campaign, TV attract the people through different programs including music moderated by anchors.
Norwegian Pakistani community which constitutes 40,000 people in the five million country, has praised organisers of this campaign who will utilize donations of this year’s move on education of children in war affected areas of Pakistan and four other underprivileged countries.
A number of the Norwegian Pakistani specially their children actively took part in the fundraising campaign.
