- Area:
- countries outside the UK
UK-wide
- Programme:
- International Communities
- Release date:
- 15 3 2012
The Big Lottery Fund (BIG) is today announcing grants for projects that will support communities in need in Rwanda, Nicaragua, South Africa, Uganda, Sierra Leone and India.
Six charities are sharing over £2.6 million 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.
Twin has received £504,909 to run a project in Nicaragua working with smallholder coffee farmers to help them gain the skills and knowledge they need to adapt their production systems and build resilience to imminent climate change threats. The project will also provide training in price risk management, which is vital for protecting smallholder incomes in a volatile market.
The coffee will then be marketed at a premium based on farmers’ climate change and environmental credentials, putting environmental concerns at the heart of coffee buying. The project will influence the coffee sector and the government to create sustainable funding mechanisms and supportive policies that enable smallholders to adapt to climate change. Roundtable meetings will be held with key stakeholders in the Nicaraguan smallholder coffee value chain, influencing and advocacy work will be undertaken and a Smallholder Coffee Adaptation Fund will be established.
Ian Barney, Managing Director of Twin said: “Twin is delighted to be embarking on this ambitious new project. We expect it to make a positive and sustainable impact on the livelihoods of smallholder coffee farmers and some 10,000-plus households in Nicaragua. Working with Cafénica, a wide-reaching network of Nicaraguan coffee cooperatives, the project will address key practical and agricultural needs to help safeguard smallholder livelihoods into the future.”
Also receiving funding today is Project HOPE UK, which has been awarded £500,956 to work in the Munsieville Township in South Africa to engage with the community and develop sustainable improvements in health, education and overall wellbeing of orphans and vulnerable children. The project will build the capacity of local health services and conduct awareness raising activities with parents so they are able to spot early signs of childhood illness or take steps to prevent it. HIV/ AIDS will be discussed in these sessions to reduce the stigma experienced by sufferers and children whose parents have died of the conditions.
The project will also address education issues by supporting children to enrol at school. Specially trained community volunteers will provide additional literacy education to primary school children and early childhood development education will be given to the most hard to reach children. Parents and carers will be supported to set up micro-enterprises to increase their income and mentoring, support and vocational training will also be provided.
Ellie Higgins of Project HOPE UK said: “Over several years, we have come to know the people of Munsieville, one of South Africa’s oldest undeveloped townships, and have been so impressed by their incredible vision and determination to make their community a model of excellence in working with their orphans and other vulnerable children. This grant from BIG really will turn many of their dreams into living realities that will touch the lives of thousands of children, as well as creating a beacon of hope for other communities across the region.”
Peter Ainsworth, Big Lottery Fund Chair, said: “Today’s funding will enable these inspiring groups to make a real difference to the lives of communities and individuals in the greatest need. With backing from BIG all these projects will work to lift thousands of disadvantaged people out of poverty and enable them to face a happier and far more positive future.”
A full list of projects receiving funding today:
| Applicant Name |
Project Name |
Beneficiary Locations |
Award Value |
| Feed the Minds |
Your land your rights |
Kamonyi and Ruhango, Rwanda |
£275,004 |
| Twin |
Double Espresso: Coffee Under Threat! |
Nicaragua |
£504,909 |
| Project HOPE UK |
The Thoughtful Path: Munsieville |
Munsieville Township in South Africa |
£500,956 |
| Act 4 Africa |
Promoting HIV Prevention Education & Gender Equality in Kasese District Uganda |
Uganda |
£427,702 |
| Lifeline Network International |
The Betteh Tumara Project |
Sierra Leone |
£407,988 |
| Target Tuberculosis |
The Jharkhand tribal health project |
West Singbhum districts of Jharkhand, India |
£495,177 |
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
- 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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