Share with:
It will be announced today that Comic Relief has pledged £1million of funding to support organisations working directly to tackle the Ebola outbreak, with over £750,000 already allocated in Sierra Leone and Liberia.
The announcement will be made during a Defeating Ebloa conference to be held today by the UK and Sierra Leonean Governments in response to the ongoing crisis.
Kevin Cahill, CEO at Comic Relief said: “We at Comic Relief are deeply concerned about the Ebola outbreak, which is having a devastating impact on the countries affected.
We’ve contacted all projects that we support in Sierra Leone and Liberia, asking them to inform us of any major impact this crisis is having on staff, activities and the communities they work in. In some cases reports back indicated that there was an urgent need for additional help.
It’s only right that we respond to these needs so that the organisations we fund on the ground can do all they can. We are hugely thankful to the British public, as without their tireless fundraising this wouldn’t be possible.”
Comic Relief’s funding will help with both medical and community based responses. It will include grants made to organisations it currently funds – such as to YCARE International in Sierra Leone and Liberia - as well as new funding including a grant to Medecins Sans Frontieres in Sierra Leone and Liberia.
The remaining money will be assigned to other organisations that we fund in response to the Ebola crisis. Comic Relief will consider project requests for additional funds to meet urgent needs where required.
