Royals join Malala in support of DEC Pakistan Floods Appeal as £8 million raised in first day

The UK has rallied round in a generous show of support for the Disasters Emergency Committee’s (DEC) Pakistan Floods Appeal, which has raised £8 million in just the first 24 hours. 

The announcement came after activist and Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai and other prominent figures were joined by HRH the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in supporting the appeal. 

Aid workers are warning that the worst is yet to come for people in flood-hit areas. Satellite images confirmed yesterday that one third of the country - an area the size of the UK is underwater. Around 33 million people are affected, approximately 16 million of whom are children and at least 1,200 people have been killed. The WHO says that 900 health facilities have been badly damaged, underlining the long-term impact of the disaster. 

DEC charities are reaching people with small boats in the worst hit areas to deliver aid or evacuate them where necessary. They urgently need more funds to scale up their operations in coordination with the Government of Pakistan and UN agencies. 

The UK Government is matching donations up to £5 million, meaning that anything given to the appeal by the public is effectively doubled. 

Activist and Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai voiced her support for the Pakistan Floods Appeal with an emotional call for donations that followed the evening news yesterday (Thursday 1 September) on ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Sky. She was joined by actor, writer and broadcaster Adil Ray OBE who presented the appeal on the BBC, while commercial radio appeals were voiced by actor Art Malik, star of The Jewel in the Crown, Homeland and Holby City. Each of them urged people in the UK to donate what they can to support relief efforts on the ground. 

The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall and The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are also supporting the Pakistan Floods Appeal. Their Royal Highnesses are regular supporters of the DEC. Most recently, in April this year, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge recognised the bravery of humanitarian workers when they visited the DEC’s office in support of the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal to meet with aid workers and learn more about how British donations were helping millions in need.  

Heart-breaking stories of people caught up in the flooding have also begun to emerge.  

Maryam Imtiaz of CARE Pakistan, in Islamabad, said:  

“With entire villages washed away, families broken and many people sleeping under the sky, the usual social structure that keeps people safe has fallen apart.  

A few days ago, at an aid distribution point in Quetta, a woman, Mahzeb Bibi*, walked to us in the worst shape of any human being could possibly be. She told us she had lost her home and in the middle of the night they were unable to save two women and two children from the rising water, losing four family members overnight. Her grievance and loss are beyond our understanding. 

“We know that the worst is yet to come. More rains are on the way bringing more devastation and tragedy for the people of Pakistan. We hope that the British public will support us in our hour of need.”  

Malala Yousafzai said: 

"Flooding has displaced millions in Pakistan and swept away homes, schools and entire communities. If you feel compelled, please donate to provide support to people in need. Your donation, however big or small, will help families survive the immediate shock, build temporary classrooms so children can continue to learn and support recovery efforts for those who've lost so much." 

Art Malik said: 

“I am heartbroken by images of homes, schools, crops, and livelihoods swept away by catastrophic floods in my birthplace, Pakistan. 33 million people – one in seven – have already been affected, and the humanitarian situation will deteriorate further as the flooding’s devastating impact is felt across the country. 

“As the son of a Pakistani doctor, I am deeply concerned for the safety of displaced people who have been left homeless and exposed to dangerous water-borne diseases such as cholera and dengue fever. With many millions left without proper access to clean water, toilets and sanitation facilities, and many seeking refuge from displacement in crowded temporary camps, the crisis has aggravated the risk of deadly outbreaks. Your donations will fund the provision of emergency medical assistance and supplies to help those in immediate and urgent need to survive. The people of Pakistan need your help. If you can, please donate now.” 

DEC Chief Executive Saleh Saeed said:    

“We are extremely grateful to everyone in the UK who has so far been moved to donate to the DEC Pakistan Floods Appeal.  

“We also extend our thanks to the UK Government, who are matching pound-for-pound the first £5 million donated by the public, as well as our broadcast partners and celebrities for having aired and joined the appeal, reaching millions of viewers and listeners. 

“Giving through the DEC is the most effective way to get widespread and coordinated assistance to those most in need in Pakistan, as quickly as possible. Our charities are already on the ground distributing life-saving emergency medical care and supplies including tents, food and hygiene kits to those suffering the dire impacts of this crisis. 

“Whilst we are hugely grateful for the amount raised on the first day of this appeal, we urgently need further funds to scale up DEC charities’ operations across affected regions and provide immediate assistance to the most vulnerable people. We of course appreciate that it’s a difficult time here in the UK, but the sheer scale of this disaster means people in Pakistan need urgent help to survive – please donate if you can.”  

Stay up to date with developments in Pakistan, the emergency response, and the fundraising efforts with the DEC by following us on Twitter or on Facebook. 

* Name changed to protect identity 

ENDS 

Notes to editors:   

Media enquiries please call 020 7387 0200 or 07930 999 014 (out of hours).   

A collection of recent images and footage is available here. 

Interview requests: please contact: pressofficemanager@dec.org.uk   

About the DEC: The DEC brings together 15 leading UK aid charities at times of crisis overseas to raise funds quickly and efficiently. In these times of crisis, people in life-and-death situations need our help and our mission is to save, protect and rebuild lives through effective humanitarian response. The DEC’s 15 member charities are: Action Against Hunger, ActionAid UK, Age International, British Red Cross, CAFOD, CARE International UK, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide UK, International Rescue Committee UK, Islamic Relief Worldwide, Oxfam GB, Plan International UK, Save the Children UK, Tearfund and World Vision UK.      

Eleven of the DEC’s 15 member charities are confirmed to be responding either directly or through trusted local partners and will receive funds from this appeal. The 11 members responding so far are Action Against Hunger, Age International, British Red Cross, CAFOD, CARE International UK, Concern Worldwide UK, International Rescue Committee UK, Islamic Relief Worldwide, Oxfam GB, Save the Children UK and Tearfund. 

The UK government will match, pound for pound, the first £5 million of public donations to the DEC Pakistan Appeal through the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s UK Aid Match scheme. This is part of a £16.5m package of support to provide immediate help to people living in the most hard hit areas.  

Through UK Aid Match the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office gives the British public the opportunity to have a say in how the UK aid budget is spent whilst boosting the impact of the very best British charities to change and save the lives of some of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people. UK government match funding will double British public’s own donations to the DEC appeal up to £5 million and will ensure that DEC member charities working on the ground can reach even more people in need.  

UK Aid Match has increased the impact of a number of DEC appeals to help those in need around the world, including most recently to support people affected by the conflict in Ukraine and to provide life-saving humanitarian aid to people in desperate need in Afghanistan.   

Through UK Aid Match, FCDO gives the British public the opportunity to decide how the UK aid budget is spent and support people in desperate need by matching their donations pound-for-pound.  

Any queries about UK Aid Match should be directed to the FCDO news desk on 020 7008 3100 or newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk. 

How to donate:       

• Online: dec.org.uk  
• Phone: 0330 678 1000. Standard geographic charges from landlines and mobiles will apply 
• SMS: To donate £10 text SUPPORT to 70000. Texts cost £10 plus the standard network charge and the whole £10 goes to the DEC Pakistan Floods Appeal. You must be 16 or over and please ask the bill payer's permission. For full terms and conditions and more information go to www.dec.org.uk. 
• Or donate over the counter at any high street bank or post office or send a cheque by post to DEC Pakistan Floods Appeal, PO Box 999, London EC3A 3AA