Over recent months Charities have had to respond to some incredibly difficult circumstances, yet themselves have been deeply impacted by restrictions on fundraising events, speaking opportunities at clubs and churches, and the loss of financial and volunteer resources. AFD wanted to ensure we could do even more in providing support to those who need it most during these difficult times.
Every year, the entire team of staff each have the opportunity to nominate a charity of their choice to receive a donation from AFD Software. It is a huge motivation for all staff to know that the work they do in their respective roles is helping to relieve the suffering of those in need. Our directors also nominate a range of organisations to receive support from the business.
In 2019 we celebrated donations totalling around £1,000,000 to over 70 charities.
In 2020 around 80 charities received donations totalling over £1,500,000 – part of our response to the increased level of need.
A couple of the charities using AFD’s donations to make a difference during the pandemic can be found below. COVID-19 changed all our lives in 2020 with more time spent at home, unable to visit families and friends. However, we are incredibly fortunate to live in a country where basic necessities and access to emergency healthcare has still been available to those in need.
Other parts of the world have not been so fortunate. Imagine the Kabubbu community in Uganda where some lack the basic resources to live, or the means to make a living, regardless of a global pandemic. Add to their already desperate situation an invisible disease that thrives on poor hygiene, and it’s impossible not to understand their plight. How do you choose between food or soap – which may save you from a fatal disease? The Quicken Trust aims to show the love of God in action to the Kabubbu community in Uganda by providing the community with the resources they lack, assisting them in acquiring skills and training to continue working towards self-sustainability. AFD’s donation to the Quicken Trust’s COVID-19 appeal provided 2 deliveries of 850 huge bars of soap which were distributed to households, to enable regular handwashing as a deterrent against the virus. 2 acres of land and maize flour were also purchased with the donation, to help prevent hunger in the community and further the work towards self-sustainability.
Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) uses light aircraft to provide flights for 2,000 aid, development and Christian mission organisations, enabling them to reach remote and isolated communities across the developing world with help, hope and healing.
Help, hope and healing were already in short supply in isolated communities across the developing world prior to COVID-19. In the Tibetsti Mountains, the delivery of oxygen masks and temperature devices were required to effectively screen and treat patients with the disease. One of Mission Aviation Fellowship’s (MAF) light aircraft was able to make the lifechanging delivery to this remote community in Chad. AFD’s donation is helping MAF worldwide to keep the aircraft and personnel which deliver such vital services ready and able to respond to the impact of COVID-19 in the developing world – in addition to the usual needs of isolated communities for basic supplies and emergency medical evacuations.
You can read about the incredible work of all the charities supported in 2020 and how the donations from AFD will help them continue to relieve suffering at www.afd.co.uk/charity-2020/
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