Matilda Helm, a seven year old self-confessed chatterboxfrom Southbridge Primary School in
Canterbury, saw World Vision's East Africa Appeal on television last
month and decided to help. In a delightfully down-to-earth comment she notes: "I saw kids just like me eating yuck food and dying and thought it was really unfair."
On the
2nd of November she undertook a rather unusual task: a sponsored vow of silence. Her aim was to raise funds for the children suffering from the famine - the first famine of the 21st century, as it happens.
She was permitted to stay quiet in class by her school
principal after explaining in a letter that she was "... sending money
to World Vision for East Africa because people there are dying right
now".
By taping her mouth shut and writing questions and answers on a
piece of paper, Matilda managed to get through the school day without breaking her
vow. Some achievement for a seven-year-old!
She says it was hard to stay quiet. "I have lots of friends and they all tried to make me talk!" but she still managed to raise $400. $400 will feed a family of six in the famine area for around about four months.
Source: World Vision NZ
1 comment:
Thanks for the blog Mike.
It's incredible what one seven-year-old can achieve! Matilda's such an inspiration as are so many of our supporters and volunteers.
If you're interested in similar stories check out our blog: http://teamblog.worldvision.org.nz/
Rowena
World Vision New Zealand
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