Global Covax Facility
It costs just $5 to fully vaccinate someone.
Lower middle-income countries are currently only at 2-3%, some as low as 1%. UNICEF is leading the largest vaccine procurement and supply operation ever on behalf of the Global COVAX Facility. UNICEF is working to ensure that all countries participating in the Facility (currently 190) have equitable access to 3 billion doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. We are appealing to Australian philanthropists to support the rapid response now required.
If you would like to support UNICEF in delivering vaccines to lower income countries click here.
Early learning starts now
Papua New Guinea
It is estimated that a child born in Papua New Guinea today will reach 38 per cent of their potential, due to many challenges such as poor nutrition and access to and quality of education.
The first years of life provide the best window of time to address these issues and ensure children the best opportunities in life.
This is why this UNICEF initiative is supporting the establishment of 55 Early Childhood Development centres. Children and families will have access to age-appropriate learning with an emphasis on school readiness, basic education in the areas of hygiene and sanitation; nutritious meals; and positive parenting initiatives, preparing 3,300 kids – including at least 60 children with disabilities – to take a running leap into life.
Funding Target: $513,729
A gift of just $800 could deliver regular parenting support sessions in one community, covering topics such as early stimulation, nutrition, health and child protection.
Crunching the numbers on newborn survival
Timor-Leste
All babies have the right to a bright future, but in Timor-Leste, 1 in 50 newborns don’t make it through the first few weeks of life.
UNICEF is working with the Ministry of Health, as well as healthcare staff to improve the quality of care by introducing quality standards; improving access to health services for all, particularly mothers, children and people with a disability; developing comprehensive datasets to better understand and address the causes of maternal and newborn death; and provide improved water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure and materials into health facilities.
By combining the power of people, data and infrastructure to tackle the leading causes of newborn mortality, this program will impact 8,000 children, 2,285 pregnant women and 80,000 people in the broader community – and give the babies of Timor-Leste a fighting chance at life.
Funding Target: $409,121
A gift of $10,000 could equip one health centre with disability accessible water and sanitation, serving a community of approximately 22,232 people.
A strong start to life for PNG’s youngest citizens
Papua New Guinea
Imagine if all it took to keep your child safe was a cuddle. Hypothermia is a contributing factor in more than 60 per cent of newborn deaths, even in countries with tropical climates – but in many cases, the solution can be as simple as ‘kangaroo care,’ or skin-to-skin contact. In Papua New Guinea, where one out of every 45 babies dies within their first month of life, UNICEF is working alongside the Government to introduce an innovative health package, encouraging new parents to initiate kangaroo care while also providing extensive training and support to health professionals for quality newborn care. The program is improving the quality of care in hospitals right through to local health facilities and village health volunteers who visit each home in the community.
The program aims to significantly increase neonatal survival rates and routine immunisations, reaching at least 73,180 mothers and fathers, and 25,992 newborns in their communities in two provinces.
Funding Target: $285,000
A gift of just $856 could train a village health volunteer in maternal and newborn healthcare.
Changing hearts, changing minds
Lao People’s Democratic Republic
In Laos, vulnerable children often struggle to achieve their full potential. This UNICEF program provides support, rehabilitation and care for kids especially at risk, including children in contact with the law and children with disabilities, creating opportunities for a brighter future.
Paralegals and community and village mediation unit members are being trained to deliver child-friendly legal aid and diversion programs to keep young people out of the justice system and provide legal support to child (and women) survivors of abuse.
Families and caregivers of children with disabilities, as well as relevant government agencies and service providers, are receiving education and training to raise awareness of these children’s rights and improve their access to high-quality, low-cost physical, social and emotional care. Combined, these programs will positively impact more than 3,000 men, women and children.
Funding Target: $170,000
A gift of just $100 could help to improve care and support for 10 children with disabilities in Laos.
Indi Kindi Early Years Education
Our first five years lay the foundations for the rest of our lives — they’re where our brightest futures begin. Unfortunately, many children living in remote, Indigenous communities continue to experience significant multi-generational issues of disadvantage as well as lack of access to essential services which the Indi Kindi program seeks to address. It is a ground-breaking early years program for 0 to 5 year olds in remote Indigenous communities, integrating health, nutrition, wellbeing, nurturing care, culture and learning to give children their best possible start in life.
UNICEF Australia is partnering with the Moriarty Foundation who deliver the Indi Kindi program within three remote communities in the Northern Territory. It is an organisation that aims to shift the dial on Indigenous disadvantage with innovative programs that embrace Indigenous worldviews and local ownership and empowerment.
Indi Kindi is led by local women who receive accredited early childhood development training — with additional benefits by way of local language, cultural knowledge and creating skilled jobs on-Country.
Funding Target: $400,000 per community
A gift of $10,000 – will provide learning resources (e.g. books, stationery, art/craft equipment, music) plus food and supplies for delivery of nutrition program for one community
New Sprints Youth Skills Development Program
Nothing changes lives like education. But students in remote Indigenous Australian communities often face significant barriers to accessing this important building block.
In response, UNICEF Australia is teaming up with the Cathy Freeman Foundation to deliver the Sprints Skills Development Program — now achieving great things in Woorabinda, Central Queensland, and with wider scaling in our sights. Sprints is a trailblazing personal development project that helps empower 15 to 18-year-olds to plan and build on their innate strengths as they transition from secondary school to tertiary education or the world of work
The program supports young people to thrive beyond school — with mentoring opportunities, and ‘micro-credential’ certificate courses to help them on the path to work and/or further studies.
Funding Target: $100,000 to support the ongoing delivery of the Sprints Program in Woorabinda
A gift of $10,000 – supports the participation of 8 students in a skills development course
A sporting chance
Sport is a uniquely powerful tool in helping kids to thrive from an early age. In unlocking the potential of children, its agency is supercharged.
For this initiative, UNICEF Australia is partnering with the John Moriarty Football Foundation — Australia’s longest running and most successful Indigenous football initiative. This transformational skills program uses football for talent and positive change - with a track record of improving school attendance and achieving resilient, healthier outcomes for some of Australia’s most remote Indigenous communities. The program is currently kicking goals in 18 Indigenous communities across the NT, QLD and NSW and targets 6 – 18 year olds.
The initiative utilises football (soccer) as an inclusive means to help Indigenous kids — boys and girls, of all ages and abilities — to improve their health, fitness and wellbeing, to acquire social and leadership skills, and of course, to play footy and have fun.
Funding Target: $240,000 to support one community
A gift of $20,000 – provides soccer equipment for six remote communities