The DEC Ebola Crisis Appeal has today reached a milestone £20 million. The total includes £5m in UK government match funding and £4.5 raised by DEC member agencies since the launch of the DEC appeal.
This “fantastic” amount is helping DEC member agencies intensify their aid efforts in West Africa where they have already helped 8 million people through humanitarian activities funded by a variety of sources, including DEC donations.
DEC member agencies have so far supported more than 4.8 million people in Sierra Leone, more than 1.7 million people in Liberia and more than 1.1 million in Guinea. Members have also reached half a million people in neighbouring countries, including Nigeria, Mali and Senegal. The 8m total includes 7.5m people reached with vital health education through large-scale information campaigns to help people stay safe and stop the spread of Ebola.
Saleh Saeed, Chief Executive of the DEC, said:
“The response of the UK public has been absolutely fantastic. Once again, people have shown we are amongst the world’s most generous nations. The DEC is extremely grateful for the kindness and generosity donors have shown in supporting our unprecedented appeal for the Ebola crisis and can only say - thank you"
“Our member agencies have already done a great deal to help stop the spread of the virus and support those caught up in the crisis but there is still so much more to do.”
Examples of some of the ways DEC members and their partners have helped: