CAFOD has joined forces with the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) to help millions of vulnerable people, whose lives are at risk as the coronavirus pandemic spreads – and we are inviting communities and parishes across England and Wales to get involved.
Donate to the DEC Coronavirus Appeal
CAFOD’s Director, Christine Allen, said:
“In the UK, our struggle against coronavirus has entered the next phase, but in many of the world’s poorest communities, the fight has only just begun.”
Millions of families living in crowded camps or makeshift shelters are having to face the coronavirus with little access to running water, soap, or medical aid. Families who have been forced to flee their homes in places like Syria, South Sudan, and the Democratic of Congo, are especially vulnerable.
Christine continued: “In many places around the world there are not enough hospital beds or supplies to treat everyone who falls ill. But promoting handwashing and providing personal protective equipment, health advice and food parcels can make a huge difference. We need your support to reach these communities and help people to cope as best they can when an outbreak of the virus strikes.”
Find out more about the DEC coronavirus appeal
CAFOD is already responding to the crisis. Since launching its emergency appeal on 30 April, we have scaled up our support to local aid experts across the world. They are helping to provide food and improving handwashing and sanitation facilities.
We have had an amazing response from communities across England and Wales and in our Diocese the response has been awesome! From Freddie aged 6 doing his first Half Marathon, Seminarians taking part in the 2.6challenge, 3 parishes have set up JustGiving pages and one our school Heads of RE is swimming 21 miles!
And now, we need your continued support during the DEC appeal to ensure that we can further scale up our support and make sure that no one is beyond the reach of the support they need. Christine continued:
“It is critical that we act now to reach millions of vulnerable people who have lost everything and no longer have ways of coping.”
As you know, we has recently launched an emergency coronavirus appeal and is scaling up its support for local aid experts around the world. These local experts are providing food to vulnerable families, as well as improving handwashing and sanitation facilities across communities. CAFOD is also helping churches in developing countries use their networks to share hygiene messages through Catholic radio stations, and to produce posters in local dialects on infection prevention.