MSC Cruises has announced that it has raised more than €6.5 million to-date for UNICEF, thanks to the generous contributions of its guests.

The funds raised are used to provide malnourished children with Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) such as Plumpy’ Nut. Thus far, more than two million sachets of RUTF have been delivered to children in Ethiopia, South Sudan, Somalia and Malawi. The Company has also recently dispatched six containers containing over 22,000 much-needed supplies to contribute towards the relief effort in Malawi.

“We are delighted to have reached this new contribution milestone, thanks to the generosity of our guests.  As a family-run Company, we care deeply about the wellbeing of families around the world,” said Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman at MSC Cruises.

“Through the funds raised onboard our ships, thanks to our ‘Get on Board for Children’ initiative, we are able to provide life-saving food to severely malnourished children around the world, where and when most needed.”

MSC Cruises and UNICEF have worked in partnership since 2009 and together established the global initiative to assist malnourished children in developing countries and those affected by crises.

The generosity of MSC Cruises guests has been magnified by an additional donation of more than 22,000 essential items delivered directly to Malawi, one of the poorest regions served by the relief effort. The six shipping containers will arrive on an MSC cargo ship this month and provide essential goods including mattresses and bed sheets, bicycles, cooking pots, bowls and spoons, and farming tools as well as chalkboards, school pencils, drawing books, toys and puppets for the children.