Government boost for Comic relief
The government has backed the public's incredible support for this year's Red Nose Day with 拢10m support for Comic Relief's work in improving health and education across Africa.
The government tonight backed the public鈥檚 incredible support for this year鈥檚 with 拢10m support for Comic Relief鈥檚 work in improving health and education across Africa. This contribution by the government matches Comic Relief鈥檚 own commitment to spend 拢10m in these areas.聽
In an announcement during the BBC鈥檚 Red Nose Day television show,聽Davina McCall聽said the extra funding will mean can now double its efforts in the areas of health and education.聽
This will mean:聽
- enabling more children to go to school and stay in school
- improving the quality of education
- getting more people access to essential healthcare they need
- training local people in the community to become recognised health workers
- supporting more people to access services that help prevent and treat malaria聽
Comic Relief currently funds a wide variety of health and education projects.聽 Since the last Red Nose Day nearly half a million insecticide treated bednets have been delivered to households in western Uganda; last year Comic Relief enabled almost 50,000 children and young people in Africa to access formal education, and聽helped around 294,000 children under five in Tanzania gain access to basic services in health facilities that have been supplied with equipment and drugs to save lives.聽
With this additional funding from the government Comic Relief will support many more projects like these across Africa.聽
Secretary of State for International Development Andrew Mitchell said:
鈥淓ven in these tough economic times, the British public has given an incredible response to Comic Relief鈥檚 appeal, showing, yet again, their compassion and generosity.
鈥淚n response to this, the government will provide extra support on taxpayers鈥� behalf. The government will come in behind the public鈥檚 effort, to support and amplify the choices that British people have made.
鈥淭he extra support will mean Comic Relief can double their efforts in health and education - so more children go to school and get a quality education, and more people have access to life-saving medicine and treatment.鈥�