Emergency donation to support COVID-19 relief

We are constantly blown away but the incredible work of our charity partners. Every day, these organisations work tirelessly to provide clean water, hygiene and sanitation services to the billions of people in need. Now, in the current global crisis, their work is more important than ever. While we’re doing our best to social distance and wash our hands*, much of the world doesn’t have the luxury of a working faucet.

*Pro tip: the chorus of TLC’s Waterfalls is the perfect length for recommended handwashing.

“We decided to make an immediate donation of $100,000 AUD.”

Right now, our partners are fighting to get accurate information and vital services to the people who need it most, but they're struggling to raise money from their traditional sources. These uncertain times have led to uncertain funding.

We’ve been gearing up to potentially make our biggest donation ever at the end of the financial year. But, after talking to our partners about the enormous need right now, we decided to make an immediate donation of 100,000 Australian dollars to be split equally among four organisations doing high-impact emergency work. We’ll still make our year-end donation in June, but we wanted to get these urgent funds out as soon as possible.

What to know more about our donation model? Click here.

A snapshot of what our charity partners are doing in response to COVID-19

WaterAid US and WaterAid Australia are ramping up their education and hygiene efforts around the world. They’re pivoting to spread information (and counteract misinformation) through radio, WhatsApp, billboards and other means. You can support their work too by donating to their emergency global hygiene fund.

Lwala has developed measures to reduce crowding, designate isolation areas, increase infection control, and provide prompt and effective referrals at their hospital and medical centres. They're leveraging their community-led health model, a radio program and various other digital platforms to share accurate information and promote COVID-19 prevention and containment. They're working closely with the Ministry of Health in Kenya to develop a protocol for Community Health Workers as they support the frontline response to COVID-19.

SHOFCO (Shining Hope for Communities) deployed 78 handwashing stations across all major entry points into the slums where they work, staffed with volunteers to instruct people to wash their hands upon entry and exit. They are partnering with the government to train community health volunteers on teaching residents healthy behaviours and combating dangerous misinformation. Volunteers are going door-to-door to raise awareness and distribute soap and hand sanitiser (produced by members of their Women’s Empowerment Program).

There are tonnes of amazing organisations doing incredibly vital work right now, and we’re proud to be able to support a few of them. And you should be proud too! Without your help, none of this would be possible. So thank you.