MADRID – From November 19 to 27, the virtual benefit run ‘No child without a family’ will be organised to create visibility for the almost 17,000 children in Spain who grow up in orphanages.
The benefit run coincides with the 1959 adoption of the Universal Declaration of the Rights of the Child. This was by the United Nations General Assembly. However, since then, November 20 has been International Children’s Day.
How does it work?
Participants in ‘Ni un niño sin familia’ (no child without a family) who have access to a mobile phone or smartwatch to track their distance can run, cycle, hike, scooter and even skate anywhere in the world to add kilometres to the target: 17,000 kilometres. It is a solidarity event and not a competition. There are no awards, but you will receive a virtual diploma afterwards.
Your number contains the name of one of the children living in a home in Spain. And information about how old the child is. And also how many days they have been growing up without a family.
Visibility
The virtual charity run ‘Ni un niño sin familia’ is organised by the Spanish National Association of Foster Care (ASEAF) to create visibility for the nearly 17,000 children growing up in Spain in homes run by the Autonomous Communities. Children wait for a family to take them in for as long as it takes.
Make the ‘invisible’ children visible
Our society, one of the most generous in the world, is still unaware of this reality and we are sure that this is the main cause why more and more children and adolescents are spending their childhood in residential centres without the bonds of attachment and the security that only a family can provide.’
‘Children, are not legally able to represent themselves, so we want them to be represented by us, the adults. From 19 to 27 November you can make one of the nearly 17,000 “invisible” children visible by participating’.
Register
You can register here for 3 euros and download your number with the name of a child, his or her age and the time he or she has been living in a home. Then run (or run, walk, bike or scooter) the number of kilometres you want to contribute. The initiators hope that more families will be encouraged to open their homes for foster care.
