Ma praises charity work in Africa

“Taiwan had been on the receiving end of international charity, but now we are an exporting nation of charity,” said the president during a press conference.

Buddhist priest Huei Li (慧禮) founded the Amitofo Care Center (阿彌陀佛關懷中心) in 2003, which has provided aid to over 3,000 orphaned children throughout Africa, including Malawi, Swaziland and Lesotho.

“In the past Taiwan received a lot of aid from the U.S., which is something that is ingrained in the collective memory of our people,” Ma said, adding that people like Heui Li (慧禮) have helped the island become an exporter of goodwill.

Ma said that while he was on a visit to the Solomon Islands in 1997, he saw a local boy peddling his wares in the streets wearing a Chin Hsi Junior High school uniform.

The president said that clothes donation is an example of Taiwan's many charitable efforts.

The press conference held yesterday featured 29 African orphans performing a variety of traditional African dances, as well as Chinese martial arts. The children spoke Mandarin and Taiwanese Hokkien with fluency to the surprise and delight of Ma.

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