BEIJING – Today the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation (CFPA) are launching a public fundraising campaign with Tencent, one of the world’s largest internet companies, to raise funds to fight Ebola.
Funds raised from the campaign will go towards WFP’s emergency operations to meet the basic food and nutrition needs of affected families and communities in the three countries worst affected by Ebola – Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Working together, WFP, CFPA, Tencent, Chinese celebrities and social media users – also known as ‘netizens’ – will attempt to set two new online fundraising records, recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records; one for the most individual donations on a single online platform within 24 hours, the second for the most individual donations on a single online platform in one week.
“WFP is pleased to work with Tencent and their users on this unique campaign,” said Jay Aldous, WFP’s Director for Private Sector Partnerships. “Every contribution, no matter what amount, from Tencent’s many users will make a difference to the families in West Africa dealing with this terrible disease.”
“To launch this campaign, we are opening the payment platform, mobile QQ wallet,” Yin Yu, Vice President of Tencent said. “With their mobile phones, we hope everyone will raise funds to fight Ebola at any time and any place. It underlines Tencent’s commitment to continue to look at how technology can be used as a force for good around the world.”
Chinese netizens are being asked to follow this link to donate online: http://imgcache.qq.com/club/platform/act/wallet/201412/ebola/index.html?...
In mid-October, the Chinese government contributed US$6 million to WFP’s regional emergency interventions against the unprecedented Ebola outbreak – reflecting China’s longstanding commitment to urgent humanitarian needs around the globe.
Since the Ebola outbreak was first identified in West Africa in April, WFP has provided food assistance to more than 2 million people and has supported the medical response through logistical services for the entire humanitarian community, including air transport of people and equipment.
According to the World Health Organization, 18,603 cases and 6,915, deaths have been reported by the Health Ministries of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
