Blankets & warm winter clothing for fleeing refugee children among the gifts available for purchase
DUBLIN, 19 November 2015 – UNICEF Ireland today launched its survival gifts campaign to bring hope to children around the world this Christmas. UNICEF Survival Gifts allows donors the opportunity to purchase actual lifesaving items that will be shipped directly from UNICEF to help children in one of over 190 countries & territories.
Every day 17,000 children die from preventable causes. Survival Gifts can make an immediate and dramatic difference in bringing that number closer to zero. Fewer children will die from unclean water, malnutrition or disease. Fewer lives will be lost for lack of shelter, immunizations or basic medicines
UNICEF Ambassador Donncha O’Callaghan said: “As a UNICEF Ambassador, I’ve seen the positive difference Irish people’s generosity make in the lives of vulnerable children around the world. While other organisations allow supporters to purchase ‘symbolic’ gifts, UNICEF’s Survival Gifts are real items, such as mosquito nets, therapeutic food, winter clothing and education supplies. UNICEF survival gifts have a gift to suit every budget, making them ideal presents for friends, family and colleagues. Every survival gift purchased goes directly to a child in need. With your help, we can give thousands of innocent children the support they need this Christmas.”
UNICEF Ireland’s Executive Director Peter Power said: “Every child has a right to an adequate standard of living. This year, UNICEF has reacted to more emergencies than ever before. At the moment, our colleagues on the ground are helping children caught up in high scale emergencies in South Sudan, Yemen, Syria and the countries affected by the ongoing refugee & migration crisis. This has stretched our resources to their limits leaving us, and the children we serve, relying solely on the generosity of donors.”
UNICEF has a survival gift to suit every friend, colleague or family member, and range from an affordable €16 to €373. Survival gifts include:
- Emergency Food (€18): Malnutrition contributes to one-third of all preventable child deaths. Therapeutic Food can mean the difference between life and death, providing quick, lifesaving nourishment to a child suffering from acute malnutrition. Known as a “miracle food,” the peanut-based paste is easy-to-ship, ready-to-eat and does not need to be refrigerated. This powerful present provides 6 malnourished children with lifesaving nutrition for 1 day.
- Footballs (€26): The Soccer Ball is an instant symbol of friendship and play, bringing healing and laughter to children coping with poverty and difficult circumstances. Restore their strength, and help them play their beloved, beautiful game. This gift contains 6 soccer balls.
- Baby Scale (€26): When an anxious family brings an infant to a health clinic, the very first thing a health worker does is weigh the baby. Why? Together with length and arm circumference, weight establishes an infant’s nutritional and health status. Baby Scales are essential tools for identifying infants who need nutritional supplements and treatment. Simple, lightweight, durable, this gift provides 1 full scale set plus a pack of 5 weighing trousers.
- Blankets (€19.60): Blankets may sound like a simple item, but this sturdy cloak of fleece can be the difference between survival and suffering when shelter is scarce and the temperature is dropping. Packed tight in ready-to-ship bundles, Blankets offer children crucial protection in emergency situations or harsh winter conditions. This gift provides four fleece blankets to keep out the cold.
- Winter Clothes (€41.90): No child should face the bitter cold of winter in threadbare clothes. A set of Winter Clothes provides lifesaving warmth, relief and dignity to a child who is frightened, hungry and cold. This Winter Clothes gift come in 4 main sizes and will protect children who are desperately seeking relief from harsh winter weather. This gift contains a jacket, jumper, winter trousers, woollen hat and scarf set, boots and woollen gloves.
UNICEF Survival Gifts are available for sale on www.unicef.ie/shop.
ENDS
For further information please contact:
Clare Herbert, UNICEF Ireland, Communications Manager, clare@unicef.ie / +353 87 942 1281 / + 353 1 878 3000
