The Isle of Man is continuing to provide vital support to improve the lives of some of the world’s most vulnerable people.

The International Development Committee of the Council of Ministers will assist a wide range of projects over the next three years through its Multi-Year Grant funding programme.

The aim is to establish long-term partnerships to support charitable projects in countries ranked as ‘low’ on the UN Human Development Index. This approach strengthens the Isle of Man’s ability to help those in poverty become more self-sufficient and less dependent on foreign aid.

It is recognised as a more cost effective way of supporting developing countries and provides charities with greater certainty when planning and delivering overseas development programmes.

Phil Gawne MHK, Chairman of the International Development Committee, said: ‘Funding from the Isle of Man is continuing to make a tangible impact on people’s lives and also reinforces our reputation as an internationally responsible country. By channelling some of our resources into long-term partnerships I believe we can make our contributions work harder.’

He added: ‘The charities that have secured funding for the next three years will be able to focus on addressing the root causes of poverty and hunger or on identifying opportunities for better health and education. This long-term support shows the Isle of Man is committed to playing its part in efforts to create a more sustainable future for all the world’s citizens.’

The International Development Committee invited applications for Multi-Year Grant funding in January and has agreed to fund 11 projects for the period from 2015 to 2018. The initiatives, which will benefit more than 280,000 vulnerable people, include:

1. British Red Cross – Sierra Leone: community based health and Ebola recovery programme.

2. Oxfam GB – Healthier children and communities: help to treat and prevent malnutrition in children in rural Niger.

3. Thare Machi Education – Technology: for the poor in Sierra Leone, Lesotho, Liberia, Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Burundi.

4. Send a Cow: addressing social and economic poverty for vulnerable families in Lesotho.

5. Catholic Agency for Overseas Development – Livelihoods and Leadership: tackling gender inequality and sexual violence in conflict and Ebola affected Liberia.

6. Excellent Development – Creating sustainable lives: for people and wildlife in the Northern Rangelands in Kenya.

7. Action Aid: strengthening smallholder farmers’ resilience to climate change and food crises in Mohale’s Hoek, Lesotho.

8. Right to Play: for the advancement of quality education in Liberia.

9. Plan International UK: Teacher training to empower girls in Sierra Leone.

10. Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust – HAIM Health: malnutrition rehabilitation and education centre in Timor Leste.

11. Kings Global Health Partnerships: Preventing life-time disability and reducing child mortality in Sierra Leone by strengthening healthcare infrastructures and orthopaedic services through clubfoot clinics.

The International Development Committee is responsible for a budget of ?2.4million which is used to fund multi-year projects, small grants and donations to disaster and emergency appeals in the world’s developing countries.

Programmes supported by the Committee must seek to address the Millennium Development Goals which are to:

• Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
• Achieve universal primary education
• Promote gender equality and empower women
• Reduce child mortality
• Improve maternal health
• Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
• Ensure environmental sustainability
• Develop a global partnership for development

Any charities that wish to be added to the mailing list for the next round of the Multi-Year Grant funding in 2018 should email idc@gov.im.