Dreaming of a better world: Dutch Lottery Postcode donates 357 million euros to charities
The Dutch Postcode Lottery dreams of a better world. During the annual Goed Geld (Good Money) Gala in de Royal Theatre Carré it announced its new donations. The lottery will donate 357 million euros to charities. This has been made possible by the millions of participants who buy Postcode Lottery tickets every week. At the moment there are 2.9 million participants, which is an incredible number. The lottery donates 50 percent of the total revenue to charities. So how more participants, how bigger the amount of charity money will be.
Number of donations from the Dutch Postcode Lottery
The numbers of the Dutch Postcode Lottery and its donations are incredible. The rising number of participants has led to a growth of charity donations, namely 16 million euros. The total amount of 357 million euros is divided among 112 charities in total. These donations are are true Postcode Lottery tradition. The organization raised an incredible amount of 5,4 billion euros for charity since 1989!. There are several Dutch organisations in the list and many of them are involved in sustainbility and the environment. For example, the Wadden Sea Association wants to construct a rivier for fish migration at the Dutch Afsluitdijk. It receives 5 milion euros from the Dutch State Lottery to do so. The Fossil Free organization dreams of a country with sustainable energy and no fossils, and receives 1 million euros to make this possible. 1,8 million is donated to the IVN, an institute for nature education and the environment, to create small woods in the Netherlands.
A better life for women in Africa
The Dutch State Lottery does not only donates to environmental charities. Social and political organisations can always use some extra money as well. This is why the Centre against Child and Human Trafficking (CKM) receives 1 million euros. With this donation it can open a second location in Rotterdam where women and children who are victims of violence, neglect and abuse can get all the help they need. The Postcode Lottery donates to international causes as well. It has established a Dream Fund to help people who live in terrible situations abroad, such as war. The Lottery has announced that it gives 11.9 million euros to the Rutgers organization. With this money it will give sexual education to men and women in Ethipia and Kenia. Rutgers will also give women the means to have an abortion if they want to. Every year about 22 million women suffer from an unsafe abortion. The procedure results in serious complications, including chronical inflammations and infertility. With extra money, these women can now have a safe choice.
Donations to humanitarian causes
Sadly, the number of humanitarian crises is rising in the world. More people than ever flee their homes to escape from war or prosecution. Syria, Bangladesh and Myanmar are just a few names in the long list of conflict areas. Refugees like the Rohingya from Myanmar usually have to live under terrible circumstances. With donations to humanitarian charities their living conditions might improve. Relief agencies like Doctors without Borders, the Dutch Red Cross and the Netherlands Refugee Foundation are under a lot of pressure. The Postcode Lottery helps these organizations with a donation of 4.3 million euros. Perhaps you want to know more about the Good Money Gala, the charities and its ambassadors? Then visit postcodeloterij.nl/goedgeldgala or search on Twitter for #goedgeldgala.
The speech of Leonardo DiCaprio
War and prosecution are not the only reasons for humanitarian disasters. More and more people flee their country because of natural disasters that are caused by climate change. A very famous person who fights for the environment is actor Leonardo diCaprio. He established the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation (LDF) in 1998 en attended the Goed Geld Gala of the Postcode Lottery. He held an excellent speech in which he spoke about his climate concerns. According to DiCaprio, greed and indifference have a negative impact on our planet. This is why he decided to established his foundation. The Hollywood actor hopes to inspire as much people as possible to fight with him for a better world.