Because of the devastating situation in the disaster areas in the Philippines, this year's RTL-Spendenmarathon, which starts at 6 p.m. on Thursday, November 21, will center on relief for the victims in the crisis areas. "It goes without saying that we will continue to focus our efforts on our eight selected projects to help children," said RTL Charity Director/anchorman Wolfram Kons. "But when just days before our big fundraiser, a disaster plunges millions of families and their children into a dramatic emergency, it is our duty to respond topically and swiftly. In the 24 hours of our telethon, we reach more viewers than any other charity show on German television. So for this reason, we are also using the RTL-Spendenmarathon to help the people of the Philippines." Last Friday, Bertelsmann, Penguin Random House and Arvato had announced that they would be making available a six-figure dollar sum for the victims of the disaster.
Emergency assistance in the crisis area
During the 18th RTL-Spendenmarathon, RTL reporters will report from the disaster areas on the current situation of the people there. Kons will also welcome to the studio some employees from the cooperation partners that have been providing emergency relief in the disaster zones for the past week with funds raised earlier by the 'RTL- Wir helfen Kindern' foundation. They will explain to viewers which relief measures are the top priority in disasters like the present one in the Philippines.
Over a week ago, "RTL – Wir helfen Kindern" had launched a major fundraising campaign to benefit the typhoon victims, with TV programs and online posts updating viewers on the situation in the disaster areas and calling on them to donate. RTL also reports on what the donations are used for. To date, approximately €650,000 have been received to the 'RTL - Wir helfen Kindern' account for the typhoon victims in the Philippines. Action Medeor has used the funds to locally deliver trauma kits, which contain painkillers, antibiotics and everything that is needed for surgical procedures, and Care was able to start the distribution of packages containing food.
Support for the German Stroke Foundation
In addition to helping the Philippines, the RTL-Spendenmarathon telethon raises money for eight selected children's charities. Each of these projects is supported by a celebrity sponsor. With donations over the years totaling more than €110 million, the "RTL – Wir helfen Kindern" foundation has been able to effectively help tens of thousands of children worldwide in the past 17 years. "I can safely say that every euro and every cent of the donations collected to date has gone to children in need. RTL handles all administrative and personnel costs, so that we can use one hundred percent of all donations for the projects. That's what makes the RTL-Spendenmarathon so unique," says RTL Charity Director Wolfram Kons, who has moderated the telethon since its premiere in 1996.
