A young American boy has captured the hearts of thousands after his efforts to help animals injured in the Australian bushfire crisis.
Six-year-old Owen Colley was upset when he found out koalas and other wildlife had been affected by the blazes that ravaged towns on the south coast.
Together with his mum Caitlin Colley, he came up with an idea to raise money and offer support to communities on the other side of the world.
They began making adorable koalas out of clay and offering them as gifts to anyone who donated $50 or more to their online crowdfunder.
Created with love, each tiny koala takes three or four minutes to make, and he’s made at least 55.
Incredibly, Owen’s hard work went viral, and so far, they’ve raised over $132,966.
After smashing their initial target of $1,000, Owen now hopes to hit $3million for the Wildlife Rescue South Coast.
As well as being a fan of Australia’s wildlife, the youngster has his own connection to the country.
His dad grew up in Sydney and Owen even spent a few months living there as a toddler.
His mum told CNN: ‘He’s very proud of the fact that he lived there. I don’t think he remembers any of it but he’s proud of it.’
Every $25 helps to feed a baby kangaroo for a month and Owen’s hard work will help hundreds of joeys in need.
Caitlin said: ‘Anyone can make a difference and when we come together we can make an even bigger difference.’
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