Prince of Wales donates to global coronavirus fundraising appeal

The Prince of Wales has made a personal donation to a global appeal to raise funds to fight coronavirus in some of the world’s most vulnerable countries.

The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Coronavirus Appeal, involving 14 of Britain’s largest aid charities, has now raised over £18 million since its launch on July 14.

The funds will provide basic supplies such as clean water, handwashing facilities and hygiene kits to refugee camps and communities in war-torn countries such as Syria and Yemen.

Charles contracted the virus in March but made a full recovery.

Funds from the DEC Coronavirus Appeal are being used to help vulnerable people in six of the world’s most fragile states: Yemen, Syria, Somalia, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Afghanistan.

The appeal also includes the world’s largest refugee camp – in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, where more than 850,000 Rohingya refugees have sought sanctuary.

The DEC, which coordinates and launches collective appeals involving UK charities, says a total of 24 million displaced people live in crowded camps and settlements in these countries.

Charities involved include the British Red Cross, Oxfam, Age International and Save the Children.

The UK Government has also pledged £10 million of Aid Match funding to the appeal, doubling donations from the public to ensure that charity volunteers on the ground continue to get support.

Save The Children ambassador Sir Mo Farah, who helped launch the appeal in the UK, said: “Lockdowns are forcing people out of work and food supply has been disrupted.

“In Somalia, where I was born, families have already endured years of civil war, poverty, and devastating natural disasters.

“They were already living hand-to-mouth.

“For these families, hunger could become an even worse consequence of the pandemic than coronavirus itself.

“DEC charities are working urgently to protect those most at risk of going hungry, including the very youngest children, for whom hunger could cause life-long damage.”

DEC chief executive Saleh Saeed said that the response from the British public had been “heartwarming”, but there was still “much more” to be done.

“The coronavirus pandemic has created challenges and sacrifices for us all, and many people here in the UK have sadly lost loved ones,” he said.

“Despite our difficulties here at home it’s incredibly heart-warming to see that the British public have been extremely generous to people thousands of miles away who are now facing coronavirus in dire circumstances.

“If you haven’t yet donated, please do so.

“There is still much more work to be done.”