The MSC Foundation and UNICEF are celebrating a partnership that has transformed young lives for over 13 years; with total donations from MSC’s fundraising activities for UNICEF programs now having passed CDN$17.5 million.

Partnering in six life-changing programs across eight countries since 2009, the MSC Foundation has helped UNICEF to support education for 8,000 children in 126 vulnerable communities in Brazil, fight malaria in Africa, assist China’s food supplement program preventing child malnutrition, and deliver lifesaving ready-to-use therapeutic food treatments to more than 115,000 children with severe acute malnutrition in Ethiopia, South Sudan, Somalia and Malawi.

In 2019, the MSC Foundation stepped in as the first partner in the program “Plastic Waste Goes to School” in Ivory Coast. This pioneering three-pronged initiative is simultaneously supporting marginalized women waste collectors, recycling the plastic waste collected into innovative bricks, and using these bricks to build eco-friendly modern classrooms. The vital importance of this third component cannot be underestimated in a country where 1.6 million children currently don’t attend school, also because there is no place for them to learn.

The MSC Foundation’s broad support for UNICEF extends from the Get On Board for Children fundraising campaign on MSC Cruises ships to partnering in education, community support and emergency relief initiatives. Accompanying this, the Foundation organizes advocacy activities to raise awareness of UNICEF’s work, including through the song “I Can Believe: MSC for UNICEF” and edutainment activities on board the MSC Cruises fleet, engaging thousands of children and young people every year. One of these initiatives is the KIDS UNITED magazine, which provides a fun, interactive way for children to learn about important topics as an exciting and enjoyable part of their cruise experience.

Alongside this, the MSC Foundation provides exceptional public visibility, having included UNICEF in over 20 international events with a global audience and extensive media exposure. By showcasing UNICEF’s initiatives and impact, the Foundation raises awareness and further assists UNICEF in its mission to improve children’s lives worldwide.

The Foundation’s wide-ranging support for UNICEF emergency response initiatives has most recently included assistance to communities devastated by flooding in Malawi, by Cyclone Idai in Mozambique and Zimbabwe, by Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and by the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide.

Caption for photo

Seen here, from l to r, are MSC Foundation Secretary General Marina Anselme, Bettina Junker, CEO of UNICEF Switzerland and Liechtenstein, MSC Foundation Executive Director Daniela Picco