DEC appeal raises £11 million for Yemen
One week on from its launch, the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) appeal for Yemen has raised £11 million, with the total continuing to rise.
Two years of conflict have pushed Yemen, already one of the world’s poorest countries, to breaking point. Half of the population – 14 million people – is going hungry and needs help before it’s too late. A child is dying every ten minutes because of preventable diseases and child malnutrition is at an all-time high.
Despite the conflict, DEC member charities are already reaching millions of people across the country with lifesaving aid, such as food, medical care and clean water, but with extra funds, they can reach many more people with lifesaving aid.
Today at 6pm, experts, journalists and aid workers will answer questions and discuss the humanitarian crisis live on the DEC’s Facebook page. Journalist Peter Oborne will be joined by guests, including Senior Research Fellow at Chatham House Peter Salisbury and ITV News Correspondent Neil Connery.
DEC’s Chief Executive Saleh Saeed said: “The UK public’s generosity is overwhelming, which has been boosted by the UK Government’s significant contribution through DFID’s Aid Match. We would like to thank all those who have given so generously and supported the appeal.
“The £11 million raised so far will make an extraordinary difference to children who face life-threatening disease and families who do not know where their next meal is coming from. We’ll be able to provide more nutritious peanut paste to infants and toddlers, cash to parents who cannot afford the very basics and emergency treatment to those on the brink of starvation.
“Working in the midst of war is highly challenging but DEC member charities are doing amazing work to reach millions with aid. Join us on Facebook tonight to find out how we help those who need it most, ask questions about the crisis and explore the solutions to the humanitarian catastrophe.”
The £11 million raised includes more than £4 million from the UK government through AidMatch.
Join the live discussion on the DEC Facebook page at 6pm today: www.facebook.com/DisastersEmergencyCommittee
To make a donation to the DEC Yemen Crisis Appeal visit www.dec.org.uk, call the 24-hour hotline on 0370 60 60 900, donate over the counter at any high street bank or post office, or send a cheque. You can also donate £5 by texting the word SUPPORT to 70000.
What your money could buy:
- £25 could provide a month’s supply of life-saving peanut paste to a malnourished child
- £60 could provide clean drinking water for two families for a month
- £100 could provide supplies to a clinic treating severely malnourished children for a week
Stay up to date with developments in Yemen, the emergency response and the fundraising efforts with the DEC on twitter: www.twitter.com/decappeal; on Facebook via www.facebook.com/DisastersEmergencyCommittee or by following #YemenCrisis
Photos, footage and spokespeople available
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Notes to editors
- The DEC brings 13 leading UK aid charities together in times of crisis: ActionAid UK, Age International, British Red Cross, CAFOD, CARE International UK, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide, Islamic Relief Worldwide, Oxfam GB, Plan International UK, Save the Children UK, Tearfund and World Vision UK; all collectively raising money to reach those in need quickly. ActionAid UK, Plan International UK and World Vision UK are not responding in Yemen.
- To make a postal donation make cheques payable to ‘DEC’ and mail to ‘PO Box 999, London, EC3A 3AA’.
- To donate £5 by text send the word SUPPORT to 70000. The full £5 will go to the DEC Yemen Crisis Appeal. Donors must be 16 years or over and have bill payer’s permission. Texts are free and donations will be added to the bill.
