UK Government matches another £5 million of donations for coronavirus appeal after huge public response
Funds raised by the DEC appeal will support the work of the 14 leading UK charities, who are helping to stop the spread of the virus and saving lives in refugee camps.
A Rohingya refugee wearing a face mask to protect against coronavirus in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh.
The UK Government is doubling its support to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Coronavirus Appeal, following a huge response from the British public, International Development Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan announced today (23 July).
This increase of match funding up to £10 million follows donations of £9.8 million in 9 days – a donation of £25, when matched by the UK Government, could provide two families with essential hygiene kits.
The DEC Coronavirus Appeal is helping to provide lifesaving aid to refugees, who are living in overcrowded camps where social distancing is impossible and therefore face a higher risk of catching coronavirus.
Funds raised by the appeal will support the work of the 14 leading UK charities, making up the DEC, who are helping to stop the spread of the virus and saving lives in refugee camps by:
- providing frontline doctors and aid workers with equipment and supplies to care for the vulnerable and sick;
- making sure families have enough food to prevent malnutrition, particularly amongst children; and
- giving families clean water and soap, as well as information about the dangers of the disease.
International Development Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan said:
The British people have been incredibly generous and compassionate in donating to this life-saving appeal. To double the impact of their kindness the UK Government will match a further £5 million of donations pound-for-pound.
Together our support is protecting millions of people in the developing world from coronavirus, including those escaping conflict. This will in turn help stop future waves of the disease.
Today’s announcement takes the total amount of UK aid pledged to end the pandemic globally to £774 million.
Notes to editors
- UK Aid Match will match, pound for pound, the first £10 million of public donations to the DEC Coronavirus Appeal.
- Donations can be made at www.dec.org.uk or by calling 0370 60 60 900.
- £30 could provide six displaced families with enough soap for a month to keep them clean and safe.
- £50 could provide essential hygiene kits to two displaced families.
- £100 could provide enough basic PPE for one frontline health worker for four months.
- Donations to the Coronavirus Appeal will be matched through the UK Aid Match scheme.
- The appeal will focus on providing relief in Yemen, Somalia, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Syria, Afghanistan, as well as the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh.
- Through UK Aid Match, DFID gives the British public the opportunity to decide how the UK aid budget is spent and support people in desperate need by matching their donations pound-for-pound.
- The DEC brings together 14 leading UK aid agencies to raise money at times of humanitarian crisis in poorer countries. By working together we can raise more money to save lives and rebuild shattered communities.
- The DEC’s 14 member charities are: Action Against Hunger, ActionAid UK, Age International, British Red Cross, CAFOD, CARE International UK, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide UK, Islamic Relief Worldwide, Oxfam GB, Plan International UK, Save the Children UK, Tearfund and World Vision UK.
- Since the launch of the DEC in 1963, the DEC has run 72 appeals and raised more than £1.5 billion.
- The last appeal, launched by DEC on 21st March 2019, to raise funds for those affected by Cyclone Idai in Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe, raised £43 million, including £4 million in matched donations from the UK Government through UK Aid Match.
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