The funding will be deployed to tackle gender-based violence and offer support and farming input vouchers, with each project receiving R25 million
THE COVID-19 Solidarity Fund has received a R50 million grant from the government of the UK, represented by High Commissioner in South Africa, Nigel Casey.
The grant is aimed at extending the Solidarity Fund’s efforts to counter repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic in South Africa – focusing specifically on projects supporting and promoting women.
This contribution forms part of the UK’s international Covid-19 response and recovery efforts, and signals its support for the Solidarity Fund as an independent, South African-run initiative.
The sum earmarked for the fund amounts to a £2.15m (R50m) donation that will be used to bolster high priority initiatives supported by the fund. To date, the UK has committed £6.5m in support of South Africa’s response to the pandemic.
Interim chief executive of The Solidarity Fund, Nomkhita Nqweni said: “As South Africa enters the sixth month of lockdown, one thing has become clear – we are not in this alone. As the world struggles in unison with the global Covid-19 pandemic, many governments have looked beyond their borders to see how they can help others fight the battle.
“It’s the South African concept of Ubuntu on a worldwide scale,” she said.
The funding would be deployed to tackle gender-based violence (GBV) and offer support and farming input vouchers, with each project receiving R25m.
Casey said: “We’re particularly pleased to support the work to help women affected by persistently high rates of gender-based violence and to promote women’s economic inclusion and empowerment.”
The Solidarity Fund was created as a special platform for all South Africans, from the public and private sectors, civil society, as well as the general public, to unite in response to the coronavirus pandemic through prevention, detection, medical and humanitarian support.
