01.07.2020
Coronavirus International – Solidarity knows no borders
In view of the worsening situation in refugee camps and the world’s poorest countries, we have set up a donations account for coronavirus projects abroad.
© Swissaid
Coronavirus turned our life in Switzerland upside down, and we are aware of the fact that many people are still struggling as a result of the virus, the measures introduced by the government and their knock-on effects – and that this situation may continue for some time. Thanks to your donations to our Coronavirus Switzerland appeal, we are able to support 112 projects run by over 100 different organizations.
Coronavirus affects the weakest people in all countries of the world, and is accentuating problems such as inequality and poverty. It is having a dramatic effect on the lives of people in refugee camps, slums, crisis areas and the world’s poorest countries.
We want to show our solidarity with all those in the world who are suffering most as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Thanks to your donation, we can help our partner NGOs to protect people from the virus and to ensure that they have access to food and medical aid.
While we get used to ‘the new normal’ here in Switzerland, the situation is getting worse in countries that already faced difficulties such as extreme poverty, war and conflict before the pandemic. There is a huge humanitarian need.
For example, last year Mozambique was devastated by a cyclone; Haiti, which suffers high crime levels, is prone to earthquakes and tornadoes; and in the Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh, people struggle to survive from day to day.
For families experiencing such difficult circumstances, lockdown means that they are unable to earn any income at all. In these countries there is no social safety net for people who earn their living day-to-day; humanitarian aid is their final hope.
In addition to the threat of famine and the high risk of infection with COVID 19 in overcrowded areas, decades of progress in health and development work is under threat. For fear of catching the virus in hospital, women are giving birth at home, parents are delaying having their children vaccinated, TB and HIV sufferers are not seeking treatment and many other people's futures have been turned upside down by coronavirus.Tasha Rumley, Humanitarian Programme Manager, Swiss Solidarity
We have already released CHF 2 million for prevention projects so that our partner NGOs can react quickly to the worsening situation and adapt their projects to the changing circumstances.
Thanks to your donations, our partner NGOs can go one step further and, for example, ensure that primary healthcare, including births and vaccinations, can continue to be provided. They can also provide people who have no income with cash and food aid.
They can also help small businesses to introduce precautionary measures and to get hold of basic protective material such as face masks and hand-washing facilities.
Many thanks for your support and solidarity! Together we can make a difference!
Here you will find more information about our Coronavirus International appeal:
Swiss Solidarity, 1211 Geneva 8
Your donation is tax deductible in Switzerland.
