The Kingdom Foundation offers $250,000 in support of affected families in cyclone-hit Bangladesh

(New York, 11 December): On December 8, the Kingdom Foundation provided the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) a generous contribution of $250,000 in support of relief activities in Bangladesh. As requested by the donor, OCHA and partners will use these funds to provide vital assistance to many vulnerable families in the areas most affected by Cyclone Sidr that hit the country in the late evening of 15 November.

Established by His Royal Highness Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal, the Kingdom Foundation is a charitable and philanthropic organization, which aims among other things to provide effective, rapid and focused aid for natural disasters. Other activities of the Foundation concentrate on alleviating poverty in Saudi Arabia, Africa and the Islamic world; developing and empowering young and progressive Islamic leadership; and creating forums for cultural and inter-faith dialogue that promotes understanding and peaceful coexistence between the Islamic world and other societies around the globe.

As the national and international relief efforts continue in Bangladesh, the assessments conducted by the United Nations in collaboration with national government agencies and partners on the ground indicate that more than 8.7 million people have been affected by the storm. As many as 3,295 people have been confirmed dead to date, another 871 remain missing, and 52,910 were injured. Material damages caused by the cyclone were also significant: nearly 1.5 million houses have been damaged or destroyed, more than 2.2 million acres of crops were damaged and over 1.7 million livestock have been confirmed killed. Significant damage to roads and public buildings, including over 15,000 educational institutions, has also been reported. Recent United Nations assessments identified food, shelter and cash as the three highest priority areas for immediate assistance.

To date, the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has disbursed a total of $14.7 million in support of life-saving activities in the cyclone-affected areas of Bangladesh, while international donors generously contributed over $155 million. The $250,000 offered by the Kingdom Foundation is, therefore, an important addition to the overall support for relief and recovery activities in the country.

For further information, please call: Stephanie Bunker, OCHA-New York, +1 917 367 5126, mobile +1 917 892 1679; Elisabeth Byrs, OCHA-Geneva, +41 22 917 2653, mobile, +41 79 473 4570. OCHA press releases are available at ochaonline.un.org or www.reliefweb.int.