Concern Worldwide says the appeal it launched dubbed ‘Come Back From Crisis’ has raised a whopping £1.6 million. The success of the appeal has resulted in the charity launching a second appeal to tackle hunger for those people in Sierra Leone that have been affected by Ebola. The original appeal which was backed Pound for Pound by the British Government ran between September and December 2016 was designed to highlight the challenges faced by poor communities when disaster strikes.
UK government matches donations
The UK Government’s Department for International Development (DFID) established UK Aid match to boost the awareness and support of the general public for charitable organisations that work in the developing world. UK Aid match doubles the amount of money raised by appeals organised by British charities both to recognise the generosity of the public as well as help fund the wide range of causes being supported.
Agency grateful for support
Rose Caldwell a spokesperson for Concern Worldwide UK said the agency was extremely grateful for the level of support it has received from the public. She adds that it is only because of the public’s generosity that Concern has been able to launch its latest projects that will enable farmers to grow more and better crops so the threat of hunger can be avoided. The new project was launched last year and seeks to improve on the quantity and quality of food production which will also enable incomes to rise.
Teaching farmers
The project is set to last for three years and so far, Concern Worldwide has already established 25 farmer field schools. These schools teach farmers how to raise crop production and improve the quality of their harvest. Concern has also set up 49 village savings and loans associations which will allow individuals to save cash for future investments. Concern has also identified 19 sites where basic infrastructure can either be built or fixed. These include bridges and roads which will enable farmers to get their crops to markets where they can sell their produce.
“Over the next three years the project will strive to help the poorest, most vulnerable families, such as Ebola orphans and survivors, who were especially impacted by Ebola so they can live a life free from hunger.” Raju Sorekaidoddi, Concern’s Acting Country Director in Sierra Leone, said.
