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The Stelios Philanthropic Foundation donates £640,000 to UNICEF to help treat 15,000 malnourished children in Gaza for one month

Posted:13 May 2024

    All article image credits: UNICEF/El Baba

    • The Foundation (www.stelios.org) is a UK registered charity set up and funded by Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, the creator and ownerof the easy family of brands (see www.easy.com and www.easyHistory.info)
    • The donation to UNICEF follows on from the decade-long Food From The Heart programme operated by the Stelios Foundation inGreece and Cyprus offering food to tens of thousands of people every month. https://steliosfoundation.gr/faghto-apo-kardias/.

    Since 2011, Sir Stelios and his for-profit company easyGroup Ltd has donated to his charitable foundation more than €84,000,000. The Stelios Foundation has just donated £640,000 to the United Kingdom Committee for UNICEF’s emergency response for the children of Gaza. This donation could help UNICEF provide 15,000 malnourished children in Gaza with Ready to Use TherapeuticFood (RUTF) for a month.

    Sir Stelios said:
    “When we started discussing with UNICEF how we could provide support in Gaza, which is geographically veryclose to the birthplace of my parents in Cyprus, I was immediately struck by the connection between their programmes for helpingmalnourished children in war torn areas all over the world with our own programme in Greece and Cyprus for helping anyone whocomes to our distribution centres asking for food. Basically, we are both providing nutrition to help people in very vulnerablecircumstances. As you can see from the photos attached UNICEF uses simple, well-established methods to detect malnutrition inchildren by measuring the circumference of their upper arm, and then if they are found to be suffering from acute malnutritionthese children are prescribed a course of these specially designed sachets of life-saving therapeutic food until they get better. Iam pleased my donation is able to help treat 15,000 children for one month who are malnourished through no fault of their own.”

    All article image credits: UNICEF/El Baba

    Jon Sparkes,
    Chief Executive at the UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK) said:
    “Compared to adults, children are especiallyvulnerable to the devastating impacts of wars. UNICEF continues to work around the clock to focus on the critical needs ofchildren for protection and humanitarian assistance. The Stelios Philanthropic Foundation’s donation today, comes at a timewhen almost 8,000 children under 2 years of age in Gaza are acutely malnourished and provides crucial funding to UNICEF’sresponse to help treat 15,000 children from malnutrition.”

    Notes to editors:

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    About easyGroup Ltd and Stelios Philanthropic Foundation

    The main projects are:

    • Food from the heart: 35,000,000 free snacks given to those in need in Greece and Cyprus since 2013 with a retail value of €35,000,000
    • €8,800,000 for about 300 Scholarships at London school of Economics, City University and other academic institutions
    • €7,200,000 in cash prizes to entrepreneurs to encourage job creation
    • €2,500,000 for the environmental working with WWF and the Prince Albert II Foundation

    Over the past 30 years, the easy family of brands have been carefully managed and developed to become the icons they are today. easyGroup, owned by Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, has created a steady recurring income stream from the “easy” royalties. As a result, easyGroup donates the majority of its profits to the UK registered charity Stelios Philanthropic Foundation www.stelios.org through which Sir Stelios gives back to society.

    About UNICEF

    UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for everyone.

    The UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK) raises funds for UNICEF’s emergency and development work for children. We also promote and protect children’s rights in the UK and internationally. We are a UK charity, entirely funded by supporters. United Kingdom Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK), Registered Charity No. 1072612 (England & Wales), SC043677 (Scotland).

    For more information visit unicef.org.uk. Follow UNICEF UK on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.
    UNICEF does not endorse any company, brand, product or service.
    For more information on UNICEF’s work in Gaza, please visit https://www.unicef.org.uk/donate/children-in-gaza-crisis-appeal/