The UK government has announced it is matching public donations to Soccer Aid for UNICEF, meaning double the difference for children’s lives.
Donations made up to and including 23rd July 2019 will be matched by the UK government, helping make sure Unicef can continue its vital work supporting children around the world.
Soccer Aid for Unicef co-founder Robbie Williams said: “It’s great that the UK Government will be doubling public donations to Soccer Aid for Unicef this year. Everyone is always so generous in supporting this brilliant cause, and knowing that the money raised will go even further to help even more kids around the world couldn’t be better. Whatever you’re able to afford, the work made possible by your donation could be truly life changing for children. So dig deep, and donate!”
Secretary of State for International Development Penny Mordaunt said: "Since 2012, our partnership with Soccer Aid for Unicef has saved lives across the world’s poorest countries by reducing child mortality and helping transform maternal and new born care for more than 4.5 million people.
“By teaming up again this year, we will be helping even more children to play, live healthy lives and reach their full potential.
“UK aid will double every pound the British public donates to Soccer Aid for Unicef, meaning their generosity will go twice as far.”
Soccer Aid for Unicef is defending play for every child. This year, extra funding made possible through the UK Government doubling public donations will support Unicef partners in training midwives to help mothers deliver babies safely and breastfeed for the first six months. It will also help parents and communities understand the best nutrition for their children; support the treatment of malnutrition, helping critically ill children recover with special milk and peanut paste; and train pre-school teachers to help build early learning centres, so children can learn and thrive in the critical early years.
When a child is healthy, happy and able to enjoy their right to play, they get ready to take on the world. Helping children to play – whether that’s by ensuring they are born safely, receive the right nutrition, or have the safe places and the equipment they need to play – really is just the beginning.
This will be the fifth time the UK Government has matched public donations to Soccer Aid for Unicef. Thanks to the UK government doubling public donations since 2012, Soccer Aid for Unicef has:
• Improved the health and nutrition of over 2 million children in some of the poorest countries in the world
• Supported 195,000 pregnant women with antenatal and nutritional care in Sierra Leone, South Sudan and Liberia
• Helped 822,000 children in Sierra Leone, South Sudan and Liberia get the nutrition they need for the best start in life
• Improved the health and nutrition of 300,000 children under 5 in Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Mauritania and Niger
• Improved the health and nutrition of 1.25 million pregnant women and children in Zimbabwe, Myanmar and Ethiopia
To find out more about Soccer Aid for Unicef, visit www.socceraid.org.uk.
