March 24, 2006

ORPHANED CHILDREN FROM AFRICA SEE AQUATIC ANMIMALS FOR THE FIRST TIME

Vancouver, BC: The Vancouver Aquarium hosted orphaned children from Uganda today as they enjoyed a special visit to the Aquarium and gave a brief choral performance for Aquarium visitors.

The children are sponsored by Childcare Worldwide, an organization that works with poor children in 12 different countries providing education from the primary grades through trade school. They also help feed hungry children and their families.

The ten orphaned children from the Lake Victoria Children's Choir are visiting B.C. this week to perform concerts in the Lower Mainland. These children have all lost their parents to AIDS. They have already given a performance in Smithers, B.C., which has raised $100,000 for Childcare Worldwide to build an orphanage for children in Uganda.

These children, who had never seen the ocean before, had the opportunity to explore ocean life here at the Aquarium. After giving an animated singing performance, the children interacted with horseshoe crabs and participated in a special animal training session where they fed our largest Steller sea lion, Tag. They also watched dolphin and beluga shows.

The children will continue on to the United States, where they will give several more performances before returning to Uganda next month.

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For further information, please contact:

Brenda Jones, Manager, Public Relations

publicrelations@vanaqua.org