UNICEF Reports Clay Aiken's Afghanistan Appeal Raises $139,778 in One Week, Exceeding Goal

Donations Still Being Accepted to Provide Education and Health Programs for Afghanistan's Children


BREAKING NEWS: UNICEF reports $145,902.31 total U.S. donations for Afghanistan as of 5:15 p.m. EDT tonight. Canadian donations yet to be reported.

New challenge to raise $200,000 issued!












UNICEF reported today that Clay Aiken's Appeal to raise $100,000 for Afghanistan in 10 Days has now exceeded its goal, raising $139,778 in just six days.

In the Fieldnotes blog on the US Fund for UNICEF website, UNICEF's Chris Phillips writes:

Clay Aiken's Fieldnotes post from Monday told us about the great need he saw first-hand in Afghanistan. Schools are struggling to provide school supplies to every boy and girl who wants to learn. Your gifts will make a tremendous difference in the lives of these kids.

Today is Day 7 of the challenge. We've got three more days left and we've already exceeded Clay's $100,000 goal. How much more do you think we can raise for the children of Afghanistan in three more days?

Congratulations to UNICEF Ambassador Clay Aiken and to everyone who has already made a donation to support the children of Afghanistan.

With three days remaining in the fundraising campaign, donations are still urgently needed.














How many more children will be able to go to school? How many more books will they have available? Will they have tents to study in, instead of sitting on the ground in the open? Will there be equipment for a science lab, and maybe even some games and sports equipment for their physical well-being, too?

Here are UNICEF's goals for the expansion and extension of community-based schools:

*Support the Ministry of Education in enrolling 500,000 girls in community-based schools over a two-year period.

*Establish 10,000 community-based schools.

*Train 10,000 community teachers on basic teaching/learning methodologies, subject contents and classroom management.

*Set up 1,000 double-set latrines and 2,000 water points for schools and communities.

*Increase community awareness and participation in girls' education.

*Improve the capacity of education administrators to plan, implement and manage projects from a community-based, bottom-up perspective.

*Facilitate the integration of community-based schools in the formal school system.

The $139,778 raised to date will make a real difference in the lives of many children in Afghanistan, but putting these programs in place nationwide will take millions.

Let's do everything we can to raise a few dollars more. If you haven't donated yet, please go HERE and make your donation now. If you have already donated, please spread the word to others who have not, or consider an additional donation to support UNICEF's programs in Afghanistan.








PHOTOS Courtesy US Fund for UNICEF

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken, UNICEF, UNAMA, United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, US Fund for UNICEF, Fieldnotes, education, Afghanistan, children, Kabul, Bamyan, health, American Idol

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