[WATCH] Campaign to make vulnerable children’s Christmas dreams come true launched

Michael Farrugia speaks about Children's Dreams campaign. Video: Ray Attard

Children living in poverty will be able to receive the present of their dreams this Christmas thanks to the ‘Children’s Dreams’ campaign.

“Through this campaign, vulnerable children will be able to tell their social workers what present they would like to receive for Christmas,” Social Solidarity Minister Michael Farrugia explained at the campaign’s launch. “The social workers will upload the children’s present requests onto a website, along with a small message, while keeping their names anonymous. People will be able to buy these children their presents and send them to their respective social workers. The social workers will then pass them on to the children’s parents for them to give to their children for Christmas.”

Farrugia encouraged people to visit the website and help these vulnerable children get the Christmas presents they desire.

“Children who are needlessly suffering will be able to speak about their Christmas presents with their friends,” Farrugia said. "A lot of the requests are very simple ones. Some children are just after a small SpiderMan toy and their first ever McDonalds meal."

The campaign was the brainchild of Lina Pecorella, a Lithuanian activist living in Malta who felt inspired by a similar initiative in Lithuania and decided to collaborate with national children’s agency Appogg.

This is the second consecutive edition of this campaign. While around 100 children submitted their present requests last year, around 350 have already done so this year.

You can visit the Children’s Dreams website at: www.childrendreams.org