EUROPE/SWITZERLAND - Movemos algo or, Let’s make something move! Swiss Holy Childhood ‘Starsinger’ children collect almost one million Swiss Francs to spend for children in need

Fribourg (Fides Service) - “Movemos algo!” or, let’s make something move, was the motto for the annual Starsinger collection taken by children members of the Pontifical Holy Childhood Mission Society in Switzerland. This year’s collection taken in early January was particularly successful, the National Director of the PMS in Switzerland informs us and now the happy children have almost one million Swiss Francs to spend for children in need. This year’s result confirms a recent tendency for people to make more generous with donations. For a few days in early January in over 400 towns and villages Holy Childhood children, Starsingers, dressed as the traditional costumes of the Three Wise Men and bearing the Star, went from door to door singing carols and collecting offerings. On the opening day of the campaign at the official launching ceremony representatives of the highest national authorities praised the initiative and congratulated Holy Childhood children for their generosity and solidarity.
Part of the funds collected go automatically towards the International Solidarity Fund “Children helping Children” for distribution all over the world and part will go in support of a programme to help child workers in Peru. In fact, as part of preparations for this year’s campaign, last November the Swiss National PMS Office invited eleven year old Robin from Jaen in Peru accompanied by Ms Rosa an adult, to pay a visit to Switzerland the local PMS children. Robin and Ms Rosa are members of the Manthoc Movement which promotes and defends the rights of child workers in Peru. (MS) (Agenzia Fides, 03/03/2006 - 19 righe, 249 parole)