Amid the Covid-19 pandemic and associated restrictions to date, this year’s Caritas Macau Charity Bazaar will be the major source of donations for the charity organization, said Paul Pun, Secretary-General of Caritas Macau.
Previously, two local doctors donated their clinic to Caritas Macau. Pun assured that the organization will continue operating the clinic in order to safeguard the healthcare rights of the underprivileged and non-resident workers.
According to Pun, the organization is now running more than 60 service entities, covering areas of elderly support, family, teenager and child care, rehabilitation, community, mental and food support, and so on.
The cost for all services last year amounted to 466 million patacas. Donations received last year by the organization fell far short of covering the cost. The donations only amounted to about 13.7 million patacas.
The 51st edition of the Caritas Macau’s annual charity bazaar commenced over the weekend with participation from schools as well as public and private entities helping to raise funds for the charity organization.
Held along the coast of Nam Van, the event concluded last night with the exact amount of donations received still being calculated.
As part of the pandemic containment, the host had to shrink the number of stalls at the venue. This year, the event saw only 85 stalls. They were assigned to public and private entities, foundational and higher education institutions, non-governmental organizations, volunteer entities, as well as Caritas Macau service entities.
At the opening ceremony, Pun stressed his organization’s concern regarding problems faced by non-resident workers in Macau amid the Covid-19 pandemic. The organization, meanwhile, has also raised funds for places hit by natural disasters or the pandemic.
He added that the organization has opened online channels for the convenience of its donors and that it is working on the inauguration of a travel agency to operate accessible tourism services. The agency is estimated to start operating next year.
As for the small-scale elderly home project on Avenida de Colonel Mesquita, Pun said a draft has been issued by the government and that work is now in progress. He hopes the elderly home can be opened as soon as possible.
Taking part in the global eco-friendly effort, the host, under the support of the Environmental Protection Bureau, has set up 10 water dispensing stations at the venue so that visitors could drink from their own reusable bottles rather than buying disposable drinking water.
The opening ceremony was officiated by government officials and representatives from all six casino-resort operators.
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