Appeal which began during recent Scotland v England match has been extended to 8 December
Over £1.5 million has been raised so far for Unicef’s Emergency Ebola Appeal, which kicked off during last week’s Scotland V England international friendly.
This figure includes money donated by the UK government which is matching all public donations pound for pound.
The chance to donate has now been extended to Monday, 8 December.
Members of the public are asked to text the word ‘KIT’ to 70020 to pledge £5.
The appeal, during the international friendly, was led by Scotland national coach Gordon Strachan, Darren Fletcher and England captain Wayne Rooney, and was shown during the game on ITV and Sky Sports.
It is one of the cruellest diseases that isolates sufferers and separates children from their families, leaving them traumatised and alone. Our appeal is not yet over so please pick up your phone and text now. Help us keep children and their futures alive
Mobile operator EE has also got behind the appeal by texting 12.5 million of its customers, asking them to donate £5. EasyJet has chipped in too, asking passengers to donate on 7,000 flights across its network for the next two weeks.
Unicef UK executive director David Bull said: “This week the British public has really swung behind our emergency Ebola appeal. With the money raised until 8 December being matched by the UK government we will be able to reach many more children whose lives are in danger from Ebola.
“It is one of the cruellest diseases that isolates sufferers and separates children from their families, leaving them traumatised and alone. Our appeal is not yet over so please pick up your phone and text now. Help us keep children and their futures alive.”
The appeal comes as the number of people who have lost their lives to the disease reaches 5,000 and over 14,000 are infected across Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. One in five of these patients are children and around 7,000 more have lost one or both their parents to the disease. Schools and health facilities for pregnant women are closing, and vital vaccination programmes for children are halting because of the emergency.
Unicef is working in all three countries to control the disease, providing life-saving supplies to treat and protect children affected, and to support those who have lost loved ones, but the organisation urgently needs more donations to help keep every child safe.
International development secretary Justine Greening added: “The British public has yet again shown this is a nation that doesn't turn its back on suffering around the world. That is why we will match pound for pound every donation made so far to this appeal, making your generosity go twice as far. This support will make a real difference helping the people of West Africa fight this terrible disease.”
£5 helps provide supplies for Ebola kits – such as gloves, masks, soap and chlorine – to protect children and their families from this deadly virus. 100% of all text donations will go to the charity to be spent on the charity's Ebola appeal.
