The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) has received a £25,000 donation from the Quilter Foundation in the wake of the devastating floods which submerged vast swaths of Pakistan and left at least six million in need of urgent help.
The Quilter Foundation is the charity of wealth manager Quilter, which provides grants to organisations supporting young people in local communities, as well as emergency appeals in the UK and internationally.
According to the Pakistani government, a third of the country – equivalent to an area the size of the UK – is currently underwater. Whole villages have been cut off, with rescuers struggling to reach them. The death toll is currently at least 1,100, with more than 1,500 injured.
The DEC brings together 15 UK aid charities, specialising in humanitarian aid and disaster response, to raise funds quickly to support an effective humanitarian response. The immediate priorities include providing temporary shelter, emergency food support and clean drinking water.
Every pound donated by the UK public will be matched by the UK government up to the value of £5m. This support will double the impact of the public’s donations and will ensure that charities working on the ground can reach those in urgent need.
Quilter will also match funds raised by employees donating to the appeal and those made online up to £20,000.
Paul Feeney, chief executive of Quilter and chair of Quilter Foundation, said: “The floods in Pakistan are truly devastating and many of us, myself included, have been deeply saddened by the resulting humanitarian crisis. Around 30 million people have been affected, with more than a million homes destroyed or badly damaged, leaving many homeless and vulnerable.
“It is vital that we support the extraordinary efforts of the charities working tirelessly to provide life-saving aid. I’m therefore pleased that the Quilter Foundation is able to support this urgent appeal from the Disasters Emergency Committee.”
Donations can be made to Quilter’s DEC Pakistan Floods Appeal fundraising here: DEC Pakistan Floods Appeal – JustGiving
