Education for millions of refugee children a mouse click away under UN-partner scheme

Click your mouse and help the United Nations provide sports and education for 9 million refugee children around the world.

Under an initiative by UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) corporate partner Microsoft, every Internet search performed at http://click4thecause.live.com using the computer software giant's Live Search facility will result in a donation to UNHCR's ninemillion.org. global campaign, launched last World Refugee Day on 20 June with help from Microsoft, Nike and other corporate partners.

Under the "Click for Cause" initiative, Microsoft has agreed to host the search site until the end of March and to promote it by creating a downloadable gadget and developing online advertising to appear on the MSN portal websites in certain countries.

It will guarantee a minimum donation of $100,000 to UNHCR based on the number of queries generated from the search site. The rate for each query will be $0.01, with a maximum donation payable by Microsoft of $250,000, equivalent to 25 million search queries.

“Driving awareness is critical to finding lasting solutions for the millions of refugees and displaced people worldwide,” UNHCR Division of External Relations Director Nick Van Praag said. “Through Microsoft, utilizing the MSN network on behalf of ninemillion.org, we are able to generate consumer awareness that we hope will result in donations to support this important cause, giving hope to refugee youth and children.”

Live Search General Manager Derrick Connell said Microsoft executives “feel we have a responsibility to use our resources and influence to make a positive impact on the world and its people. With our millions of visitors to MSN and Live Search each month, we hope to raise awareness of the plight of the 9 million refugee children.

“We continue to be impressed with the important work of the UNHCR and ninemillion.org, and are excited for the opportunity to expand our support of a cause that impacts so many around the globe,” he added.

Ninemillion.org was launched as a new public- and private-sector initiative and an example of how business partners are helping UNHCR give refugees hope for a better future. Two-thirds of the money raised will be distributed by UNHCR to support education in refugee communities.