Swiss Solidarity collects more than CHF3 million for children
A classroom in Zimbabwe: half the donations will be used for projects abroad
Keystone
The Swiss Solidarity fundraising organisation and several partners collected more than CHF3 million ($3.5 million) for children and young people on a national solidarity day on Thursday. The motto of the collection day was “Education for all”.
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The campaign began at 7am. Shortly before 11pm the final total was just under CHF3.4 million, according to Swiss Solidarity. The donations are intended to help provide children and young people with access to high-quality education and training.
According to the information provided, half of the donations collected will be used in Switzerland. The other half will be used for projects abroad. “All children and young people should be able to develop according to their abilities and receive a good education,” Defence Minister Viola Amherd was quoted as saying in a statement on the collection day.
According to the statement, 244 million children of school age worldwide are unable to attend school. Children who do not have access to education are often exposed to an increased risk of poverty and social marginalisation. However, young people in Switzerland are also affected, with almost one in ten young people having no qualifications or no education. These people are four times more likely to live in poverty later on.
Swiss Solidarity, with the support of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC), SWI swissinfo.ch’s parent company, has been organising various solidarity initiatives in all parts of Switzerland since mid-December.
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