Scottish charities working to improve life for people overseas have won additional funding.

International organisations in Scotland are to share £430,000 in grants and benefits.

The grants, from the Scottish Government’s International Development Small Grants Programme total £431,000 and will be used to support the work of Scottish-based organisations in Malawi, Bangladesh, India and Tanzania.

This programme can become a regular feature of Scotland’s response in the future - Gillian Wilson

A small grants programme was developed by the Scotland Malawi Partnership, the Network of International Development Organisations and the Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland, which is administering the grants for the Scottish Government.

Reverend Professor Kenneth Ross, chair of the Scotland Malawi Partnership, said: “The Scotland Malawi Partnership is delighted to learn of the six Malawi projects which have been funded in this first round of the Small Grants Programme.

"Small non-government organisations and community-based organisations have a unique and valuable role to play in Scotland’s wider international development effort.”

Gillian Wilson, chief executive of Nidos also welcomed the annoucement.

“Working with small organisations in Scotland we want to help grow the response to this programme and support the development of more quality initiatives so this programme can become a regular feature of Scotland’s response in the future,” she said.

The grants will be adminstered over one year.