Welcome to the Community Fund web site*
*
*
 HOMEPAGE/ABOUT US/NEWS

24 April 2003

Lottery money to help tackle global poverty


Disadvantaged people across the globe will benefit from grants worth £6.8 million awarded today by the Community Fund's- International Grants programme.

The grants will help fund 15 projects run by UK based Charities working abroad aimed at relieving extreme poverty.

One of the largest grants announced today is for £766,446 to the Project Hope UK, to help poor families in the Mozambique province of Zambezia cope with the significant challenges presented by the spread of HIV/AIDS. The project will promote health education, including information on high- risk behaviour, and economic self- sufficiency through helping vulnerable women gain access to funds.

Lady Brittan, Chair, Community Fund said: "The grants awarded today underpin our commitment to help tackle disadvantage and poverty wherever it occurs. Our IGP enables UK- based charities working abroad to continue their valuable work in striving to improve the well- being of communities most at need in the world."

Stuart Worsley, Executive Director, Project Hope UK said:" Project Hope are very pleased at being awarded a grant of £766,446 from the Community Fund of the National Lottery. On behalf of the people of Macuba and Milange in Mozambique, the trustees and executive team of Project Hope UK thank the Community Fund for this very significant contribution."
Bangladesh's marginalised disabled community will also benefit from a grant awarded today. Action on Disability and Development, based in Frome, Somerset have been awarded £400,000 towards its project to form an effective disability rights movement in Bangladesh. The project will work towards ensuring the implementation of the Bangladesh's Disability Welfare Act, bringing real improvements to the lives of men, women and children with physical disabilities and mental health problems.

Action on Disability and Development, Chief Executive, Barbara Frost, said: "We're delighted that the Community Fund has agreed to support our work in Bangladesh. This grant will enable us to expand our programme to new areas of the country and help maintain a real momentum that has built up within disabled people's organisations there pressing for social change and inclusion. We feel the programme has already had significant impact, but progress would not be possible without the Community Fund's support."

Other grants awarded today will benefit poor communities in 24 counties by: improving access to and quality of health care, providing clean water and sanitation; improving primary education, encouraging better management of local environments: and providing support to discriminated people.

Notes for editors

1. A full list of grants awarded today is available on request or on our website at www.community-fund.org.uk

2. Since 1995 the Community Fund has awarded more than £2 billion worth of grants to 52,000 UK charities and voluntary groups.

3. Since 1997 the International Grant programme has awarded 614 grants to with a total value £135.6million to UK based charities working overseas.

4. The International Grants Programme funding priorities are currently: health, education, human rights projects and natural resources- especially water.

5. The Community Fund shares out money raised by the National Lottery to charities and to voluntary and community groups. Out of every £1 spent on the National Lottery the Community Fund gets 4.7 pence. That is 16.6 per cent of all the money that goes to the 'good causes'.

6. The legal name of the Community Fund remains the National Lottery Charities Board. The National Lottery Charities Board was set up in 1994 and changed its operating name to Community Fund - Lottery money making a difference in April 2001.






Media Enquiries
Nick Burke on 020 7747 5380 or email [email protected]

International Grants Programme enquiries: 020 7747 5294 or email [email protected]