As part of the Change for Good campaign, Aer Lingus has this week launched a special collection on all flights to raise funds for UNICEF’s Syrian appeal.
Change for Good is the UNICEF in-flight collection of unused foreign notes and coins to raise funds for vulnerable children around the world.
As the conflict in Syria enters its fifth year, 14 million children are in need of humanitarian support, making this the single biggest humanitarian crisis since World War Two. The situation of more than 5.6 million children inside Syria remains the most desperate. Almost two million Syrian children have fled and are living as refugees most of them in Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan. The scale of this crisis is unprecedented; the total number of Syrian children in need of assistance is 15 times what it was in 2012.
UNICEF Ireland Executive Director, Peter Power said, “While visiting the Syrian-Lebanese border, I witnessed first hand the appalling and inhumane conditions in which Syrian children are forced to live. I met families who’ve experienced unimaginable horror, forced to flee with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Thanks to the generosity of Aer Lingus management, staff and passengers, this special collection will provide essential services for children in need.”
UNICEF Ireland Good Will Ambassador, Ireland and Munster rugby star, Donncha O’Callaghan said, “As the father of three little girls, the situation in Lebanon is heart-breaking. Eighteen months ago, I visited these camps and while some improvements have been made, the situation remains critical. I’ve seen the difference that Irish donations make to children on the ground, providing vital education, health and psychosocial support to vulnerable children.”
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.