One employee started an online fundraiser to close the gender gap after the United States announced its withdrawal from the World Health Organization, and her efforts have already raised more than $100, 000.
Tania Cernuschi, 46, reported to AFP that she had the brainwave shortly after US President Donald Trump announced that the organization would step down from its first step on January 20th when he took office.
After Argentina announced on Wednesday that it would also leave the UN health agency, the financial hole is expected to increase even more.
Cernuschi is aiming to raise $1 billion to make up for US contributions, which amounted to $1.3 billion — or 16 percent of the WHO’s budget — for the years 2022-2023.
“I was disturbed by the news”, said Cernuschi, an Italian development economist who has been at the WHO for 10 years.
I asked if I could proceed when I woke up in the morning and considered the campaign. No one came to stop me.
She launched her “One Dollar, One World” fundraising page on the WHO Foundation’s website, which connects private funding with significant health projects.
“I’m asking for one dollar from a billion people, for $1 billion in total. But people can give more”, she said, adding that all funds go directly to the foundation.
More than 3, 000 donors from countries across the world have chipped in, she said, raising some $104, 000 as of Wednesday afternoon.
“We have about 20 who have given more than $500 and we’re expecting a big donation in the coming days of $20, 000 which would be great”, she said.
– Individuals ‘ Critical ‘ –
In a similar way to other UN organizations, the WHO Foundation was established in 2020 to solicit private donations for the health agency.
Anil Soni, the CEO of the WHO Foundation, said that “individual giving is crucial for many international organizations.”
“UNICEF raises more than $1 billion annually. UNHCR $500 million per year”, he said, referring to the UN children’s and refugee agencies. “
The WHO Foundation has so far” built up a community of 40, 000 individuals “who have donated, Soni told AFP.
Overall, it has brought in $6 million from individuals and $26 million from companies since 2021 — including $5 million from US social media giant Meta.
– ‘ Big Frustration ‘ –
Cernuschi claimed her initiative was “more of a gesture of solidarity than a fundraising campaign” and that she had anticipated it might not even raise $200.
” I’ve worked all my life in the UN system and in non-governmental organisations, and I believe in what I do, “said Cernuschi, who used to work for UNICEF and the Gavi vaccine alliance.
She said the WHO must better explain its work, especially in developed nations, as both individuals and businesses cannot be expected to bear the cost of funding it.
She said, “There is a lot of thinking that we work for poor countries, which we do,” noting that most vaccines and medicines are produced in wealthy states. However, there is a benefit to citizens in richer nations.
She also admitted to feeling a” big, big frustration “with UN bureaucracy.
” We all need to become more agile, more flexible, more impactful, more efficient, “the economist said.
She argued, however, that the WHO’s budget is “less than a major city hospital,” meaning it saves thousands of lives each day in 194 nations.
” I call that efficient, “she added.
Source: Channels TV
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