Jackie combats child trafficking and gives to flood relief.
Jackie Chan To Combat Myanmar Child Trafficking
Jackie Chan
07/03/12 09:34 AM ET AP

YANGON, Myanmar — Hong Kong action star Jackie Chan is going to Myanmar this week on a three-day mission to help combat child trafficking in the Southeast Asian nation.

UNICEF announced Tuesday that in his capacity as a good-will ambassador, Chan will visit the agency's projects for supporting trafficked children under special care for trauma and distress. He also will meet with officials of the Social Welfare Ministry and members of the Myanmar Police Anti-Trafficking Task Force in Mandalay, Myanmar's second-largest city.

The U.S. State Department's annual report on human trafficking says thousands of children in Myanmar are forced to serve in the national army and ethnic military groups. However, Myanmar signed an agreement with the United Nations last week to ban the recruitment of child soldiers and demobilize those already serving.
Jackie Chan gives back
Asia News Network (The Nation) | Entertainment | Wed, July 11 2012, 4:19 PM

No one needs much convincing to go see a Jackie Chan movie, but now the Hong Kong superstar has extra appeal with part of his ticket revenues going to Jackie Chan's Charitable Foundation and the Dragon's Heart Foundation.

The first raises money for victims of disaster and the second for needy children and elderly people in rural areas. Folks affected by the flooding in Thailand last year have just become beneficiaries.

After visiting Myanmar in his other role as a Unicef ambassador, Chan came to Thailand on Sunday to hand over 6 million baht (US$189,000) to 30 organizations. He expressed hope that more celebrities will follow his example to give back to the public. "Copycats are welcome!" he laughed. "I grew up poor and struggled, and now I have enough money to share with the needy."

Chan said he's loved Thailand ever since his first brief trip here as a youngster. And he still remembers indispensable phrases like mai pen rai. This stuff does matter, though, Jackie. Thanks!