VANCOUVER -- Mirko Tekie-Lojur has been filling up his Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles piggy bank for most of his life. Granted, he’s only eight.

He said he’s been collecting money from the Tooth Fairy, birthdays and places around the house and was planning on using that money once he becomes a “grown up.”

However, his plans changed when he learned that his mom was donating to a cause to combat COVID-19.

“It just warms my heart. Usually kids have a hard time giving things away, so the idea that he knows that there's kids around the world that don't have the resources that we do here in Vancouver and in Canada, and that he wants to donate to help other families, is a beautiful thing,” said mom Tsion Tekie.

On Thursday, the proud mom uploaded a video of Mirko on social media, showing the boy encouraging other kids to join the “Piggy Bank Challenge.”

“You can pick any organization. I challenge children around the world,” Mirko said in the video.

The family is supporting the Tigrai COVID-19 Response Fund, which was started by a group of Ethiopian-Canadians in Vancouver.

According to the World Health Organization, there are 92 confirmed cases in the east African nation. The group is raising money to send personal protective equipment to frontline workers there.

“The reality is the health care system needs to be ready for an increase of people with this virus. So if we can get on board now, and raise money and send some the supplies they need to the hospital, they have a chance to fight this,” Tekie said.

As someone who immigrated from Ethiopia, she said she knows first-hand some of the challenges people there face.

“The idea of staying at home is a privilege that we have, but unfortunately they do not, because most of the people there, in order to eat, they have to work daily,” she said.

The family is hoping others will be inspired to open up their wallets or piggy banks to support charities that are close to their hearts.

“I hope they’ll do the same. I hope they’ll donate money to people who need,” Mirako told CTV News.

Correction:

A previous version of this artilce described Ethiopia as being in west Africa. The country is located in east Africa.