A LIFELONG drive to help children has inspired local artist Melanie Ramsey Hale to re-release a song she wrote 20 years ago.

Melanie penned ‘The Child’ in 2003 but had few resources to promote the song or fulfil any kind of philanthropic work through recording her work.

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Today, with a sharp awareness of the precarious lives of many of the world’s children, Melanie has recorded the song on a CD which she is selling for donations to children’s charities.

“100 percent of all money raised through purchasing the CD, and from live singing at fundraisers or special events, will go to children’s charities,” Melanie told News Of The Area.

“The first children’s charity I would like to support through the sales of The Child is CanDo Cancer Trust Coffs Harbour, which financially supports kids with cancer by giving money straight to families in need.”

A woman of faith, Melanie believes she was blessed with the song to raise awareness and money for children’s causes.

“It is a disgrace to humanity that there are billionaires and then there are children dying from hunger,” she said.

“My song spreads a message of positivity; around all the little things that are so precious about children.”

Two stories stand out in Melanie’s mind that have provided inspiration for her philanthropic focus on children.

“When I was seven years old, and I was at my Grandmother’s house, I read an article about a boy dying from child abuse and it really affected me, and I wondered how anyone could hurt a child.

“I couldn’t sleep properly thinking about the fact that his own mother could do this.

“I vowed then that if I could help children in any way, I would,” she said.

Those feelings welled up again when her own son was aged seven.

He was staying at the home of a priest and his wife who were helping at this difficult time.

“While trying to survive his parents’ divorce, he called me and asked, ‘Mummy don’t you love me anymore?’”

“That’s the moment I started writing The Child,” she said.

Melanie said she knew she had something special with her song when she called a Christian friend of hers who was in the music team at church and started singing the song down the phone.

“He’s blind and really felt the song.

“As soon as I finished, he said ‘Wow, come over and I’ll put the chords to it’, so I did and now, 20 years later, I’ve re-recorded it and hope to make a difference in children’s lives with it,” she said.

“Please help children by purchasing this song and sharing it with others and let’s all, as a collective, help children in need worldwide.”

Melanie is offering to provide singers for all live performances that are fundraisers for children’s charities.

The live performances are sponsored by Jay Jones HDSE recording studio, Coffs Harbour.

“If there are any other children’s charities in need of raising funds through singing The Child live at your fundraiser please call me,” closed Melanie.

Contact Melanie on 0432 159 661.

By Andrea FERRARI