Press release
Minister Brophy announces Irish Aid funding of €10,700,000 for GOAL
From Department of Foreign Affairs
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Foreign Affairs
Published on
Last updated on
The Minister for International Development Aid and Diaspora, Colm Brophy TD, today announced €10.7 million in Irish Aid funding to GOAL.
Announcing this 2021 funding, Minister Brophy said:
"I am very happy to confirm continuing Irish Aid support to GOAL, pursuing our long-term relationship with them in alleviating poverty around the world.
"Over the past year, GOAL has shown real leadership in its support for health systems under pressure as a result of COVID-19, including its work on child health and nutrition services, moving nimbly to adjust to changing circumstances. GOAL’s work, supported by the Irish Government ranges from provision of accurate public health information to rural communities in Uganda and services to prevent gender-based violence in Zimbabwe and has made an important difference to people’s lives."
The Irish Aid funding announced today will support GOAL’s development work and humanitarian work overseas during 2021, as well its public engagement and development education work in Ireland.
GOAL, one of Ireland’s largest international development organisations, is responding to major emergencies and implementing long-term development programmes globally across ten developing countries in Africa, the Caribbean and the Middle East. The funding announced by Minister Brophy will enable GOAL to deliver long-term development and humanitarian programmes targeting the extreme poor to help them survive emergencies, improve health outcomes, ensure food and nutrition security, and support sustainable livelihoods.
The funding will be provided through the Department of Foreign Affairs’ multi-annual Strategic Partnership with GOAL supporting programmes in Ethiopia, Haiti, Iraq, Malawi, Niger, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sudan, Uganda and Zimbabwe.
Ireland’s Overseas Development Assistance Programme is managed by the Development Cooperation and Africa Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs. For further information see www.irishaid.ie
The Strategic partnership with GOAL is funded under the Civil Society Fund and Humanitarian Fund. In addition, 13 Irish based Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) are funded under Programme Grant II (PG II) 2017-2022, the department’s largest Civil Society fund that supports Irish-based CSOs engaged in development work overseas and in public engagement and development education in Ireland.
In 2021, the Programme Grant II budget line funding CSOs will amount to €66 million.
The other organisations in receipt of this Programme Grant funding are: Trócaire, Self Help Africa, Christian Aid Ireland, Oxfam Ireland, Sightsavers Ireland, World Vision Ireland, Plan Ireland, Action Aid Ireland, Helpage, Children in Crossfire, Frontline Defenders and Vita.
Joseph Komakech and his family live in Northern Uganda. During Uganda’s strict lockdown and curfew in response to COVID-19, radio provided an important source of information for many families. This was especially true for villages with poor internet access such as Alwee Keyo where Joseph lives. GOAL, supported by Irish Aid, sponsored a number of radio talk shows informing communities about the virus. The radio shows provide awareness messaging to 10 counties across Agago District every Friday on Radio Wang OOH FM. The guests include health experts from the area who share information on preventing the spread of COVID-19 including hand washing, social distancing and cough hygiene.
Joseph says: “These shows are so important. We listen every week and they have helped keep my family informed and safe during this pandemic.” Joseph describes listening to the shows as his “corona time”, and as a result he has installed a hand-washing station at the entrance to his home.
GOAL Uganda has reached over 1.5 million people with COVID-19 awareness messaging through Radio and social media since the virus hit in March 2020.
In addition to its work on COVID-19 GOAL, with Irish Aid’s support continued its work on long-term development in Uganda - such as through programmes to prepare for shocks related to flooding and other extreme weather events; and supporting market systems development including starting a new phase of its MasterCard Foundation-funded Young Africa Works programme in Uganda.