A COVENTRY charity supporting deprived children around the world has provide thousands of food parcels amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Unemployment, starvation, a lack of hygiene supplies, misery and death have marked the past months for families in the most hard-hit areas of the world.
But after Coventry’s Global Care launched an emergency appeal on March 30, its supporters have donated £132,265 to help feed the hungry.
Food parcels lasting weeks have been sent to more than 4,000 poverty-stricken families in 11 countries, from the slums of India and Guatemala, to the remote mountain valleys of Central Asia, the rural poor of Uganda and the war-weary children of Syria.
A total of 13,796 people in poverty, including 8,483 children, have received lifesaving supplies including food, soap and facemasks.
Families living in the slum of Kibera, in Kenya, now have 30 handwashing stations allowing 24,000 people to access clean water and soap in a community without running water.
Working through grassroots partners overseas, who live in the communities they serve, Global Care has been able to assess urgent community needs and deliver supplies rapidly.
John White, CEO of Global Care, said: “This has been one of the most intense times for Global Care that I can remember. Never before have we faced so many frantic requests from our partners simultaneously.
“Despite facing uncertainty ourselves – with our charity shops closed and most of our office staff suddenly working from home – we made a commitment to just keep supporting our partners, enabling them to help the children, and to raise as much as we possibly could.
“Already the generosity of our donors has exceeded our wildest dreams back in March. To have raised this sum is incredible – we are so grateful to each and every one of our donors. Their support has been amazing – life-saving and transformative. We’re so proud of all they have enabled us to achieve.
“Unfortunately we know the work is far from over. Rebuilding lives and communities after Covid-19 is going to take a monumental effort. There are many more needs we have yet to meet, including further feeding and rent support to keep vulnerable children safe, educational supplies, making schools and our childcare centres Covid-secure, and enabling children to return to education.”
Global Care was set up in Coventry more than 35 years ago and is currently working in 17 countries across four continents. The charity aims to support the poorest and most vulnerable children, through education; vocational training and providing food.
