Google.org contributes USD7.5 Million in grants and other support to COVID-19 relief efforts in Thailand and five Asian countries

Thailand, July 29, 2021: With Thailand and other neighbouring countries currently grappling with a surge in COVID-19 cases, Google today announced a total commitment of USD$7.5 million in new grant funding and other support to help alleviate the current pandemic crisis.

As part of this new commitment, Google.org, Google’s philanthropic arm, is providing a USD$1.5 million grant to UNICEF to support urgent COVID-19 response needs across five countries including Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Pakistan. From this grant, USD$300,000 will go to UNICEF to support Thailand's COVID-19 response. UNICEF will use this grant to procure hygiene supplies such as soap, hand gel, alcohol spray, fabric masks, and disinfectant. In partnership with partner non-governmental organizations, the supplies will be delivered to high risk provinces, severely affected by the latest COVID-19 outbreak. UNICEF will also continue to support governments and communities to control the spread of the virus and minimize morbidity and mortality, including by enhancing preparedness for possible future waves of COVID-19.

Announcing these new commitments, Jackie Wang, Country Director for Google Thailand, said, “The current surge in COVID-19 cases is causing immense pressure on our healthcare system, and this Google.org grant to UNICEF aims to deepen our support for Thailand at this critical time. We’ll also continue to focus on ensuring timely access to information, as well as tools for all Thais to stay informed, connected and safe during this crisis.”

“We are grateful for Google.org’s contribution to UNICEF as we continue to respond tirelessly to the global pandemic by providing fair access to COVID-19 vaccines and services to target populations with a focus on the most vulnerable,” said Karin Hulshof, Regional Director, UNICEF, East Asia and the Pacific. “Only a truly global response can protect and secure the future of every child and the communities in which they live, and we will continue working with our partners and lean on them for their expertise, innovative solutions and flexible funding to help minimize the impact in the region and beyond.” she added.

Beyond this grant to UNICEF, Google.org is also providing an additional USD$1 million to International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to address the urgent need of oxygen supplies and medical equipment in Indonesia. In addition, Google.org will provide USD$5 million worth of Ad Grants to local government agencies and organizations across Southeast Asia, including Thailand, to run public health information campaigns for free. Since last year, Google has provided over USD$27 million in Ad Grants to support local governments including the World Health Organization who served over 343 million public service announcements (PSAs) to reach audiences with messages on how to stay safe and facts about vaccines.

Since the start of the pandemic, Google.org has also funded vaccine distributions in Asia and across the world through Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Google has also focused its efforts in ensuring that information serves everyone in Thailand through its tools and products. For example, providing useful information from authoritative sources related to COVID-19 on Google Search and YouTube. Moreover, Google has worked with the Ministry of Education to develop a national online learning platform to ensure continuation of education in Thailand. Lastly, Google worked with the Ministry of Commerce and other private sector partners to develop the Saphan Digital Program to provide comprehensive training for SMEs in Thailand on all necessary skills in order to conduct business online.