UNICEF UK and Crowdfunder have launched a nationwide appeal to deliver Covid-19 vaccines around the world.
The VaccinAid campaign, Give the World a Shot, will help fund the biggest vaccine drive in history. It aims to provide nearly 2 billion Covid-19 vaccines to health workers and the most high risk and vulnerable people in the world.
Crowdfunder initiated the idea behind vaccinaid.org after seeing a huge number of people who needed support due to the pandemic fundraising on their platform.
As well as helping UNICEF purchase and deliver nearly 2 billion Covid-19 vaccines this year, the money will also help purchase tests and treatments, to 190 countries around the world through the global COVAX initiative.
With half of UK adults having had their first dose, UNICEF says now is the time to support communities in low and middle income countries around the world with equal and free access to protection against the virus.
Steven Waugh, interim executive director at UNICEF UK, said: “The launch of today’s VaccinAid campaign comes at a historic moment for UNICEF in the delivery of Covid-19 vaccines around the world.
"Having so many organisations and high-profile individuals come together to show their support for the appeal gives us a real chance of unlocking vital funds that will enable UNICEF to fulfil its critical mission of protecting the world against Covid-19.
"I am incredibly excited to be asking the nation to ‘Give the World a Shot’ over the next few months, as here at UNICEF we know it will ultimately help save lives around the world.”
UNICEF delivers nearly 2.5 billion doses of vaccines annually.
The money raised for VaccinAid will help UNICEF get vaccines to the most remote places in the world by ensuring they are safely stored and transported.
Rob Love, Crowdfunder chief executive, said: “Crowdfunder is proud to be joining forces with UNICEF to launch VaccinAid and support the biggest vaccine roll-out in history. Over the past year, we have seen a sharp rise in people fundraising for causes linked to the Covid-19 pandemic on our platform.
“Crowdfunder was created to help solve the challenges that governments and charities cannot tackle on their own, by bringing organisations and people together and enabling connections that help our global community.
"By launching VaccinAid with UNICEF to Give the World a Shot, we are harnessing the power of the crowd to help bring an end to the pandemic and its devastating impact.”
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