Joining Hands to Help Children

The projects approved for 2025 funding can be found below, or click here.

UNWG Charity for Children

Charity Award Ceremony for 2024 Funding

Click to view video of the 2023 completed projects

Armenia: Safe Haven & Special Behaviour Treatments for War Stricken Refugees

Cameroon: Furniture & Equipment for Rehabilitation Center for Migrant Children

Mexico: Rehabilitation of a Dormitory Building

Niger: Education & Vocational Training Support Project

MISSION OF THE UNWG CHARITY PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN:

Each year the UNWG financially supports many children’s charities in Austria and through out the world. This project-based program is organized for the sole purpose of benefiting children in need. The UNWG charity program assists children having restricted access to education, children with serious health problems, children having no access to clean drinking water, victims of calamity or catastrophe, orphans, children with special needs or children suffering from extreme poverty or starvation. Over the last 58 years a total of more than €6 million has been raised and disbursed to these projects. You may find a few of the implemented projects here.

The UNWG raises all of the charity funds through members’ activities, the Bazaar and major donors. The Annual International Charity Bazaar contributes the most to the fund. The projects funded address the basic needs of children all around the world. There were 10 projects from 9 countries and at least one project from 4 different regions of the world approved for funding in 2025. The result of the 2025 application and review process can be found here.

Application

Project selection criteria:

Projects must benefit children no older than 18 (21 if disabled) or mother/child care programs.
The funds of the organization must be available to all children without discrimination, regardless of race, gender, ethnic origin or religion.
Projects must be sustainable and have continuation plans. Requests should address basic needs in health, education, water and shelter, focusing on long term assistance (e.g. clean water supply, sanitation facilities, school construction or repair, classroom furniture, educational or vocational materials/equipment, medical equipment, special needs support.)
Applicant organizations must be registered as charities with their government.
Application forms in 7 languages are available online (see links below).

Process

Selection Process

Once a year, a committee of UNWG members reviews over 100 applications and recommends a selected number of projects for the UNWG general membership to approve. The funds are usually disbursed within the year. For example, in 2025 the UNWG members approved €82,410 for 10 projects in 9 countries, serving 1,013 children and 80 women. This amount was raised by members of the UNWG in 2024 through a variety of activities, including the International Festival Bazaar, the UNWG Kiosk and other fundraisers, as well as donations received.

Project Approval

The conditions for funding are:

Maximum funding allowed for each project is €10,000 or equivalent in US dollars. Funding for a specific part of a project may be approved.
Funds may be used only for the project presented and approved. The Charity Review Committee must endorse any change in the utilization of funds in advance.
The Charity Review Committee monitors the projects to ensure that funds are used for the intended purpose. On completion of the project, a written report is submitted to the UNWG by the organization, including a financial accounting of fund utilization.