As winter sets in, a Taipei-based welfare center is appealing to the public for quilt donations to keep migrant fishermen warm from the cold.
The Rerum Novarum Center, a welfare center that provides assistance to migrant workers, is holding its annual donation event for migrant fishermen on December 7 - 8. This year, they intend to collect 1,430 quilts and are calling for quilt donations per the request of the fishermen. To date, about 1,100 quilts have been collected but this is still not enough.
According to the center’s representative Li Cheng-hsin (李正新), migrant fishermen are treated the same way as migrant caretakers. Employers are required by law to provide food and accommodation for the workers. However, in the case of migrant fishermen, they are housed on the fishing boats directly. While supplies are provided to keep the cold out, these may not be enough. This is why the Rerum Novarum Center started a charity event specifically for migrant fishermen in 2019 and has continued the tradition to the present day.
The target of 1,430 quilts was determined by working with fishermen based in 20 ports in the northeastern part of Taiwan and quilts were requested as these provide a feeling of homey comfort compared to sleeping bags. Li hopes that the public will open their hearts and send some warmth, both literally and figuratively, to keep the fishermen warm this winter.