The new campaign is an extension of the successful 'Change for Good' partnership, which is premised on offloading unwanted foreign currency after travelling on an international Qantas flight. This has amassed $28 million for UNICEF's global child health, child protection and education programs over the past 23 years.
The new 'Change for Good' campaign will focus on domestic travellers, giving them the opportunity to pool spare change languishing at the bottom of handbags or jangling in pockets and put it to good use.
UNICEF Australia chief executive, Norman Gillespie said the champion of the new Change for Good campaign was Australia's smallest denomination - the 5-cent piece, which is the cost of providing one child with clean drinking water for two days. With just a handful of small change, UNICEF can spend 50c and give a child exercise books and pencils to kick start an education or spend $1.50 and protect five children from disease.
"If every Qantas passenger travelling domestically gave us just a few of their forgotten coins each time they travelled it would make little difference to their day, but a world of difference in saving children's lives," Dr Gillespie said.
"The 5-cent piece may be the star of our new Change for Good campaign, but the real heroes are the generous passengers. We've already seen the good work for children that change from an overseas trip can do and, with the support of Qantas, we know we can deliver even more Change for Good," he concluded.
