It’s Human Rights Day, the day that honors the United Nations General Assembly’s adoption and proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948.

As we are celebrating this day 72 years later, we can look back on many positive developments throughout the years. Many countries have improved remarkably. So – at least in our Western world, and certainly in Switzerland – December 10th should be a day to be grateful for the lives, we are able to live.

But, at the same time, it is of course a day to think of the people that do not have the privilege of living and working in this safe and peaceful context. There are still huge numbers of humans that are not provided with the luxury of basic rights like freedom and personal security. Things that we have been taking for granted for a long time, although at times we tend to forget how privileged we are.

We would therefore like to use this day to – once again – raise awareness for a project that is very close to our hearts: ,The Asian Pacific Children’s Fund.

The founder, Don McAlvany, and his wife, Molly, who had always been travelling a lot, encountered an orphan’s home in the Philippines in 2002. They realized that there were millions of children across Asia who didn’t have access to the basic necessities of life.

Still, huge numbers of children live in the streets or in orphanages that are not always caring and sometimes even abusive. People call them ‘throw away children’ because no one wants them, and no one notices their existence or passing.

Therefore, over two million ‘throw away’ girls between the ages of three and thirteen can easily be sold or trafficked into prostitution without anyone knowing – every year. They live as sex slaves and are in some cases only let out of their cages to ‘work’. The few thousand girls who manage to escape, often have nowhere to go and end up back in the streets, doing the only job they know.

There obviously is a tremendous need for refuges that offer these children a safe place. They are in need of good homes, that provide them with the basics of life and a loving family environment where they can heal and grow.

So, Don and Molly decided to support well-run homes that offer children such a refuge to grow and blossom in. They started APCF to help these homes raise funding and bring resources like staffing, food, clothing, English teachers (English is essential for the children to eventually work in good jobs) and medical teams. They also place funds to pay for university if a child has the motivation and grades to pursue a higher degree. Many children stay in the homes and become staff members themselves.

The Asia Pacific Children’s Fund currently supports eight orphanages: three in the Philippines, two in Indonesia, one in India, one in Nepal and one in Myanmar. Don and Molly now live in one of these homes and regularly visit all the others to see the children and make sure that the resources are used efficiently.

They are close, life-long friends to our CEO and Founder, Frank Suess, who has been supporting APCF for a long time and acts as a member of APCFs Board. It is a project that we fully believe in, and we appreciate everyone who joins!

If you would like to honor this day by supporting APCF in providing children with basic human rights, a family and a chance on life, please follow ,this link.