Scottish Catholic Observer

The British Government has announced today that it will match every pound donated to SCIAF’s 50th anniversary Wee Box, Big Change appeal next Lent.

The match funding was awarded to the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund through the UK Department for International Development’s UK Aid Match scheme. The programme matches pound for pound public donations to selected charity appeals, giving the public a say in how Britain’s aid budget is spent and doubling campaign donations.

“Winning DFID’s UK Aid Match scheme means that every pound given to us in next year’s Wee Box, Big Change Lent appeal will be doubled,” Alistair Dutton (above), SCIAF director, said.

The Government’s commitment will help improve the lives of thousands of women farmers in Africa, International Development Secretary Justine Greening announced today.

The money raised go towards helping women farmers in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi and Rwanda grow more food, boost their incomes and have a bigger say in their communities.

Ms Greening said her government were delighted to support SCIAF in this way as it was doing ‘fantastic work to reduce poverty around the world and has a long history of channeling the generosity of Scots to good causes.’

SCIAF, an agency of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland, was founded in 1965 and next year marks the charity’s 50th anniversary.