- Area:
- countries outside the UK
UK-wide
- Programme:
- International Communities
- Release date:
- 2 2 2012
Reaching out to most vulnerable communities overseas, the Big Lottery Fund (BIG) is today announcing grants for two projects that will improve the lives of women and children in Malawi and India.
Two UK-based charities are sharing just over £500,000 in funding from BIG’s International Communities programme, which supports projects tackling the causes of poverty and deprivation and the effects they have on the lives of the most disadvantaged people.
Peter Ainsworth, Big Lottery Fund Chair, said: “The UK-based charities receiving funding today are making a significant impact in some of the world’s most disadvantaged areas. We are pleased that BIG’s support will help them to tackle poverty, address stigma and disadvantage and create sustainable solutions to improve the lives of people, who are desperately in need of help.”
Deaf children living in some of the poorest and remote areas of Karnataka state in India will benefit from a £388,948 grant to the National Deaf Children Society. The state has around 20,000 deaf children and while a significant progress has been made in improving the quality of education for the majority of children with disabilities, deaf children continue to be excluded from learning. A cause and consequence of poverty, deafness is marginalised and stigmatised even within disability and teachers lack sufficient skills to support deaf children.
The money will help 900 deaf children from poor families go to primary school across three districts in Karnataka state. It will help parents to become knowledgeable and confident in understanding the needs of their deaf child and how best to support their education. Parents will also be able to access emotional support and sign language training. More than 700 classroom teachers will learn how to support deaf pupils and put the specialist education resources, that the project will create, to use. The project will also seek to make deaf children feel included at home, school and in the community, as it raises awareness of deafness among people in the community.
William Borneo, Deaf Child Worldwide in India, said: “The project will make a huge difference to deaf children and their families. Working with our partner, the Association of People with Disabilities (APD) we will empower families with the knowledge and skills they need to feel confident in supporting their child. The funding will go a long way to creating more inclusive communities for deaf children, giving them a brighter future.”
Build A School, an Ashford-based charity dedicated to building of classrooms in developing countries and providing education in sustainable living receives £195,493 towards a project in Malawi.
Through its partnership with the National Smallholder Farmers' Association of Malawi (NASFAM), the project will focus on diversifying the crops that are being grown locally, including the introduction of a new agricultural industry of essential oils with a secured Fairtrade Mark certification.
Luke Dolby, Chairman, Build A School explained: This Big Lottery Fund grant will go directly to the crucial training of Malawi's poorest farmers as they look to generate new incomes. The charity will be able to provide the best training to the most rural communities and introduce to the world Fairtrade certified essential oils from the region.
“By focusing on additional training to create jobs locally through a women's co-operative, this project will add value in the country whilst simultaneously bringing vital foreign currencies through international sales of new oils and finished products. This is a unique and wonderful opportunity for NASFAM communities to benefit from training, empowerment and additional revenues secured through the Fairtrade certification.
“I am delighted with the opportunity that both Fairtrade and the Big Lottery Fund are generating for Malawi's struggling farmers. The production and sales of essential oils will bring numerous benefits to Malawi's rural communities, empowering people to lead more sustainable and positive lives.”
Further Information
Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 020 7211 1888
Out of hours media contact: 07867 500 572
Full details of the Big Lottery Fund programmes and grant awards are available on the website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
Ask BIG a question here: https://ask.biglotteryfund.org.uk
Follow BIG on Twitter: www.twitter.com/BigLotteryFund #BIGlf
Find BIG on facebook: www.facebook.com/BigLotteryFund
Notes to Editors
- BIG’s previous International programme distributed around £67 million to UK-based NGOs working overseas from 2006 - 2009.
- BIG’s new International Communities programme will run to 2015 with a budget of up to £80 million
- The Big Lottery Fund (BIG), the largest distributor of National Lottery good cause funding, is responsible for giving out 46% of the money raised for good causes by the National Lottery.
- BIG is committed to bringing real improvements to communities and the lives of people most in need and has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK. Since June 2004 BIG has awarded over £4.4bn.
- The Fund was formally established by Parliament on 1 December 2006.
- Since the National Lottery began in 1994, 28p from every pound spent by the public has gone to good causes. As a result, over £27 billion has now been raised and more than 370,000 grants awarded across arts, sport, heritage, charities, health, education and the environment.
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