Frequent handwashing and physical distancing requirements have become part of everyday life in Denmark and other countries that are just reopening after months in the shadow of COVID-19. However, vulnerable people in densely populated parts of the world can find it extremely difficult to follow the advice of national and local authorities to prevent the spread of infection.
To help combat the COVID-19 pandemic in vulnerable parts of the world, the Novo Nordisk Foundation is allocating up to DKK 20 million for humanitarian and development projects that focus on preventing the transmission of COVID-19 and especially mitigating the consequences of the pandemic for vulnerable and marginalized populations and people living in or being driven into poverty by the pandemic.
A survey by the World Bank shows that the COVID-19 pandemic will push around 49 million more people into extreme poverty, defined as living on less than USD 2 per day. More than half of these new poor people, 23 million, live in Africa.
“In many low- and middle-income countries, the COVID-19 pandemic is a health crisis but also largely an economic crisis. The lockdown of the global economy has hit those who are already the weakest in the world’s poorest countries, and unfortunately many people have been driven into further poverty. With this programme, we want to help these groups through the crisis and strengthen the countries’ preparedness for disease prevention and response,” says Hanna Line Jakobsen, Senior Vice President, Social & Humanitarian, Novo Nordisk Foundation.
Organizations and institutions registered in Denmark may apply for grants under the programme, and the projects must be carried out in countries under the OECD Development Assistance Committee list of official development assistance recipients (2020).
The programme is thematically unrestricted, and applicants may therefore apply for grants for projects that cover humanitarian and development interventions in areas such as health, education, livelihoods and protection.
Applications may be submitted for DKK 1 million per project, with a maximum duration of 1 year. The project can be either an independent, delimited project or part of a larger project that receives support from other sources.
Read more about the COVID-19: Preparedness, Prevention, Response and Recovery programme here.
Further information
Christian Mostrup, Senior Programme Lead, +45 3067 4805, [email protected]
