Scottish Catholic Observer

SCIAF’s Wee Box Lent appeal raised a record-breaking £3.4 million this year to support the charity’s life-changing work with some of the poorest people in the world.

The total raised is three times more than the previous highest Wee Box amount of £964,000 and comes as the charity marks its 50th anniversary.

This year’s appeal benefited greatly from UK Aid Match funding from the United Kingdom Government, which meant that every pound donated was doubled. Schools, parishes and individual supporters across Scotland raised an impressive total of £1.7 million to be matched.

Baroness Sandip Verma of the Department for International Development (DFID) visited SCIAF’s offices in Glasgow on Wednesday as the impressive fundraising total was announced. During the visit she learned about the charity’s history and how the money raised will help women farmers in Africa and poor people around the world.

Baroness Verma of Leicester, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at DFID, said the result of the appeal was incredible.

“The generosity of the Scottish public will help to transform the future for even more women farmers in Africa and I’m delighted that the UK government’s match funding will ensure their donations go even further,” the baroness said. “SCIAF may be a smaller charity but they are making a massive difference to the lives of people in some of the world’s poorest countries.”

Philippa Bonella, SCIAF’s head of communications and education, welcomed the baroness to the charity’s office in Glasgow and thanked supporters for their fantastic response to the appeal

“The UK Government’s match funding has made a huge difference and means we can help many more people to free themselves from hunger, poverty and injustice,” she said.

“I’d like to thank everyone, especially schools and parishes, who’ve worked really hard to make this year’s appeal very special. … Together over the last 50 years we’ve given millions of families a better chance in life and hope for the future. We won’t stop while they still need our help.”

This year’s appeal was launched by SCIAF’s President Bishop Joseph Toal of Motherwell, singing stars Susan Boyle and Nicholas McDonald, broadcaster Kaye Adams and children from Holyrood Secondary School in Glasgow, St Aidan’s High School in Wishaw, St Columba’s High School in Gourock, St John’s Academy in Perth, St Andrew’s Primary School in Kilmarnock and St Francis Xavier’s Primary School in Falkirk.

“This is an amazing result—beyond our wildest dreams!” Ms Boyle said this week. “When I helped to launch the appeal in February I thought it would do really well but I’d no idea it would be this successful. It’s really fantastic that people have taken SCIAF’s Wee Box appeal to their hearts and given so generously. Many more people who are hungry and poor will now get the help they need to improve their lives and have a better future.”

The money raised by this year’s appeal will help women farmers in Malawi, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo to grow more food, earn money to support their children, and play an active part in their communities, as well as helping other poor

— http://www.sciaf.org.uk/

— [email protected]

—This story ran in full in the July 31 edition print of the SCO, available in parishes.