Ron Corben reports in VOANews.com from Bangkok that ‘residents of the Klong Toey slum near Bangkok’s port have come to the aid of the children of Haiti. Volunteers and children from the Duang Prateep Foundation, which works with the community, on Sunday walked through narrow lanes and alleys seeking donations.’

Klong Toey is one of the poorest districts in Bangkok. These slum residents saw on television the devastation of Haiti from the massive earthquake. They did not wait long to mobilize for whatever help they can extend. It was an effort to make Valentine’s Day more memorable.

Their collected donations were coursed through the international humanitarian NGO called Save the Children fund.

Poverty is no hindrance for the human spirit to sympathize with fellow sufferers. These slum dwellers are proof that the poor is not unable to give help. They also show that people in need do not necessarily remain contented to be at the receiving end of aid. Such old and tired stereotypes do not exist in Klong Toey, half a world away from the place they wanted to help.

On Valentine’s Day, the poorest of Bangkok offered the huge sum of $3,000 to help those suffering thousands of miles away in the poorest country in the Western hemisphere. It was a moment of triumph for the human spirit, a glimpse into the generosity of the human heart amidst squalor and hunger.

Read