Major humanitarian organisation International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has launched a new crowdfunding platform.
Aiming to raise an initial $98,000 on its new Global Crowdfunding Platform, the ICRC is responding to specific community needs by exploring new sources of fundraising.
The world today faces a growing number of protracted conflicts. Besides the direct humanitarian consequences of these crises, the implosion of public services puts significant burdens on local communities.
The newly launched Global Crowdfunding Platform aims to connect donors and affected populations around small but concrete projects supported, developed and monitored by the ICRC.
The first crowdfunding project aims to raise $98,000 to fund clubfoot treatment for 400 children in Pakistan.
In the first three to six months, 400 children will be enrolled at two clinics ICRC supporta. The children will receive ongoing support and be fitted with a brace to prevent the problems from recurring.
The majority of children to benefit from this comprehensive treatment will come from families living in remote areas of Pakistan who can neither afford nor easily access health care.
Two other projects will follow by the end of the year in Cambodia and Lebanon.
“For the ICRC, crowdfunding represents a pioneering way to diversify its funding sources and allows us to connect emotionally with new audiences,” said ICRC Crowdfunding Manager Coline Rapneau.
“It is an immense innovative vector, as it allows us to convey important messages on international humanitarian law, transparency, sustainability and aid localization while raising money for under-funded regions.”
All the projects on the Global Crowdfunding Platform carry a sense of urgency with specific goals to reach. They all promote the same cause – improving the lives of people affected by armed conflict or other situations of violence.
“Ultimately, they aim to help people with specific vulnerabilities, such as children, people with disabilities, or the elderly,” concluded Rapneau.