Greta Thunberg Receives $100K Award And Donates Entire Thing To Kids Affected By COVID-19

Greta Thunberg donates $100,000 to children affected by the coronavirus crisis

Earlier this week, Greta Thunberg was honored by Human Act, a Danish worldwide development organization, and was gifted $100,000 on Earth Day to put towards her foundation and continue her work in the fight against climate change. However, Thunberg, being a wise young woman, realized that the fight against coronavirus is a much more urgent issue at this moment and redirected her own prize money to UNICEF, to support children who have been affected by COVID-19.

“Like the climate crisis, the coronavirus pandemic is a child-rights crisis. It will affect all children, now and in the long-term, but vulnerable groups will be impacted the most,” Thunberg said in a statement on the UNICEF website.

Thunberg elaborated on her Instagram how children “in poor countries, in the poorest neighborhoods and for those already in disadvantaged and vulnerable situations” are disproportionately affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Despite the fact that children are less likely to contract the virus, it’s the school closures and lack of resources that will have the most profound effect on their lives and futures.

“More than 1.5 billion children are today affected by school closures,” Thunberg wrote. “This has a direct effect on millions of children and young people’s possibilities to learn, to a lunch meal, and get access to water and sanitation. More than 300 million school children rely on schools as a source of daily nutrition. Millions of children do not have access to distance learning. The digital divide is an example of global inequalities that affects the most vulnerable children.”

Coincidentally, the young activist knows first hand what COVID-19 is like as she recovered from a mysterious illness in March, saying it’s “extremely likely” she contracted the virus.

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To join Greta in supporting children affected by the coronavirus crisis, you can donate at UNICEF.com.