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Orphans get toys in Diana's memory

Monday, December 29, 1997 Published at 12:44 GMT

image: [ Two cuddly toys bring a smile to one of Albania's deprived orphans ]

Orphans get toys in Diana's memory
Some of the teddy bears placed outside Kensington Palace, London, after the death of the Princess of Wales have been donated to some of the world's most deprived children.

The moving gesture of goodwill was made by a British charity which has just set up its first orphanage in Albania after a two-year struggle.

The orphanage in Durres is the fifth to be built in the world by the organisation Hope And Homes For Children.

Moved by Albania's plight, husband and wife charity team Mark and Caroline Cook set about trying to make a difference to the lives of children who have lost their families.

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After battling against the Albanian authorities for more two years, they were finally allowed to go to Durres to open the orphanage with support from the new socialist government.

Based in Wiltshire, the charity group says it is providing comfort, food and vital medical care for children in most need.

"It will give everybody a new feeling of hope," said Caroline Cook.

"It will create everything these children need -- stimulation, motivation to the staff and everything that they haven't got here."

[ image: width=150]

The couple's surprise gift of 50 teddy bears, which three months earlier had been among the tributes piled high in memory of the Princess of Wales, brought smiles to children in the midst of their suffering.

"We've often been asked recently whether the Princess knew about us and I don't suppose she did," said Mark Cook.

"We felt it was a matter of time before she got to hear about us because we're working in the sort of area that we feel she would have approved of. We're working with the most deprived children in the world."

Many more children are likely to benefit in a similar way as part of the legacy of the Princess's work for charity.

Relevant Stories

Hope and despair for Albania's mentally handicapped (17 Dec 97 | World)
Christmas at Albania's rubbish dumps (15 Dec 97 | World)
Albania Prime Minister in London looking for help (15 Dec 97 | World)

Internet Links

Albania's Homepage
Hope and Homes for Children

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