UNICEF Canada thanks Guru Gobind Singh Children’s Foundation for $50,000 donation to support relief efforts in Nepal

TORONTO, June 5, 2015 – In response to the devastating earthquake that struck Nepal on April 25, the Guru Gobind Singh Children’s Foundation, based in Mississauga, raised $50,000 for UNICEF Canada’s emergency response efforts, helping UNICEF reach the children and families in the aftermath of this crisis.

The Sikh community and youth members of the Guru Gobind Singh Children’s Foundation organized a run and fundraising effort. More than 400 runners took part in the event on May 17—some taking part as families with runners of all ages. Following the race in Mississauga, the group presented a cheque for $50,000 to UNICEF Canada.

“UNICEF Canada is very grateful for the generosity of the Guru Gobind Singh Children’s Foundation. These kinds of donations allow UNICEF to immediately provide life-saving support to vulnerable children in Nepal and, over the long-term, work towards helping children and families rebuild their lives,” said Stacia Sahi, Policy Officer with UNICEF Canada who was on hand to thank the participants and talk to the attendees about UNICEF’s response activities in Nepal.

“Nepal was chosen by the donors in the Sikh community in response to the recent news of the widespread destruction caused by the earthquake and the aftershocks causing more damage. It is a county in which getting aid to those in need is difficult because of its terrain and topography,” said Paramjit Dhillon, the event’s chief organizer. “We chose to donate our funds raised to UNICEF because they have the resources to get aid to the most vulnerable in society—children—and to remote locations.”

Dhillon also highlighted the Government of Canada’s match for all funds raised by UNICEF Canada and other agencies working in Nepal—doubling the life-saving impact of the money raised by the Sikh community.

During the first month of the response in Nepal, UNICEF mobilized a substantial aid response to help children in urgent need, including:

• Provided clean water to more than 305,109 people  and adequate sanitation and hand-washing facilities to more than 45,201 people
• 10,000 children in displaced communities accessing Child Friendly Spaces
• Nearly 9,000 children and more than 2,000 parents have been provided with Psychosocial First Aid
• More than 3,000 children aged 6-59 months have been vaccinated against measles and rubella in an ongoing campaign in the most affected districts

About UNICEF:

UNICEF has saved more children’s lives than any other humanitarian organization. We work tirelessly to help children and their families, doing whatever it takes to ensure children survive. We provide children with healthcare and immunization, clean water, nutrition and food security, education, emergency relief and more.

UNICEF is supported entirely by voluntary donations and helps children regardless of race, religion or politics. As part of the UN, we are active in over 190 countries – more than any other organization. Our determination and our reach are unparalleled. Because nowhere is too far to go to help a child survive. For more information about UNICEF, please visit www.unicef.ca. 

For more information or to coordinate interviews, please contact:
Tiffany Baggetta
UNICEF Canada

416-482-6552 ext. 8892

647-308-4806 (mobile)
tbaggetta@unicef.ca