In Australia, government pledges Little Wings $1.5 million after 12-year-old student's walk
In Australia, the government of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pledged to allocate $1.5 million to support the Little Wings charity after a meeting in Canberra with 12-year-old Dusty Langby. The schoolboy walked 540 kilometres from his hometown of Warren in New South Wales to raise $500,000 for the organisation and ask the government to match the amount, ABC News Australia reports.
Albanese said on social media that the government would add the same amount Dusty had raised and also invest an additional $1 million. Thus, together with the funds raised, Little Wings will receive $2 million.
The walk to Canberra
Dusty arrived in Australia’s capital on Monday after more than two weeks on the road. He and his team had been preparing for the walk since January. After the funding announcement, the boy said he felt very good and wanted to spend time with his family.
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The fundraising idea arose during a conversation between Dusty and his mother near the family dam. The reason was personal for the family: Little Wings had previously flown Dusty and his younger brother Angus from Warren to Sydney for appointments with medical specialists.
Helping children from regional areas
Little Wings provides free air and ground transport for seriously ill children from regional and remote areas. The organisation also brings paediatricians to communities where access to specialist care is difficult.
Little Wings chief executive Claire Pearson, who accompanied Dusty during the walk and at the meeting in parliament, said the organisation was overwhelmed by the government’s decision. According to her, the combined funding will help carry out about 600 missions, including hundreds of free specialist consultations in regional and remote communities.
