New Sense International appeal to be match funded by UK government
Melanie May | 18 October 2017 | News
Sense International launches a new campaign today that will be match funded by the UK government up to a total of £5 million.
Sense International’s My Turn to Learn appeal is to fund a new programme to transform the lives of children and young adults with deafblindness in Bangladesh by improving access to education and opportunities for work. It will provide inclusive education and vocational training, which will include recruitment and training of specialist teachers who will work with dozens of families to support the children at school; training for mainstream teachers; the creation of a model school to promote best practice; and targeted meals to help ensure children with deafblindness are well enough to learn.
The face of the appeal is Morium Begum from Narsingdi in Bangladesh. When Sense International first met Morium, deteriorating eyesight and hearing loss meant that she was on the verge of being taken out of school. Today, aged sixteen, with the support of Sense International, Morium has become one of the first children with deafblindness in Bangladesh to pass her primary school exams, and hopes one day to become a teacher.
The UK Government will match all public donations to the appeal from 18 October to 17 January up to a total of £5 million, through its UK Aid Match scheme.
International Development Secretary Priti Patel said:
“In countries around the world, children with deafblindness are not getting the education they deserve, but Sense International is providing the life changing help that’s needed. The My Turn to Learn appeal will fund training and support to help thousands of children and young people with deafblindness in Bangladesh to get the educational support to which they are entitled.
“Every donation made by the British public to the My Turn to Learn appeal will be matched pound for pound by the UK government, meaning we will double the difference Britons can make to ensure deafblind children and young people in Bangladesh have the brightest possible future.”
Sense International Patron, HRH The Princess Royal, will launch the My Turn to Learn appeal at a special reception held at The Banqueting House in Whitehall, this evening.
Advertisement
About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.