The George Harrison Fund for UNICEF

Concert for Bangladesh 

Over a half century ago, Ravi Shankar asked his friend George Harrison to help a country suffering from the effects of floods, famine and civil war. The Concert for Bangladesh, held at Madison Square Garden in New York on Aug. 1, 1971, was the first major music benefit concert for a humanitarian cause, raising much needed funding and awareness for UNICEF in Bangladesh.

Listen to the full concert on your favorite streaming platform.  

The George Harrison Fund for UNICEF continues that legacy to this day, by providing support for UNICEF programs in Bangladesh while expanding its influence to include other countries where children are in need.

While forever linked with Bangladesh, the Fund has supported programs in Angola, Romania, India, Haiti and Brazil. In 2021, the Fund supported relief efforts for Rohingya refugees following the devastating fires in Cox's Bazar and education programs for children on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Learn more about the George Harrison Fund for UNICEF.

Ability Based Accelerated Learning Centers in Bangladesh

UNICEF has been working to improve the well-being of children in Bangladesh since 1952 and is working with the government of Bangladesh to build a robust education system that is inclusive, relevant and accessible.

This includes supporting formal pre-primary, primary and secondary education, as well as developing alternative learning pathways for children who have never attended school. The George Harrison Fund has long been a generous advocate and supporter of UNICEF’s work in Bangladesh to provide equitable access to quality education for the most vulnerable children. 

Ability Based Accelerated Learning (ABAL) Centers offer out-of-school children aged 8 to 14 a flexible pathway towards primary school equivalency using a multi-grade, ability-based approach. The initiative is fully aligned with the national curriculum and was developed by UNICEF in collaboration with the government of Bangladesh and local civil society organizations. The initiative targets children who have never been enrolled in formal educational programs, or those that have dropped out of primary education.

The multi-year project sponsored by the George Harrison Fund aims to reach the following goals by the end of 2026:

• Equipping 67 ABAL Centers with teaching and learning materials, as well as training teachers and project staff on accelerated and ability-based education techniques.
• Enrolling at least 3,000 out-of-school girls and boys – including children with disabilities – from the city’s most vulernable areas in learning centers.
• Ensuring that at least 2,850 enrolled children complete primary education or are mainstreamed into other educational opportunities, such as public schooling, after achieving the relevant grade competencies.
• Reaching a minimum of 5,000 parents and community members in project areas with information on the value of education for children.

The George Harrison Fund for UNICEF (GHFU) Campus Challenge

The George Harrison Fund for UNICEF  Club Challenge is an activation for UNICEF’s 900 registered Clubs, made of up of High School and College age students, to host fundraisers and events in support of UNICEF USA. All funds raised in one academic year by students in the UNICEF Clubs program is matched, up to $100,000, by GHFU. The top three fundraising UNICEF Clubs receive an award and a special opportunity on behalf of UNICEF USA for their efforts.

Members of the UNICEF Club at the University of Michigan helped build a playground at an Ann Arbor elementary school, one of the Club's many community service projects. The Club placed first in the 2021 Campus Challenge.

“Although the year was difficult with the COVID-19 pandemic and classes being online, the changes in circumstances presented a new opportunity – we were able to go virtual, collaborate with other organizations and make the most out of the situation," said Omar Fehmi, UNICEF-UM's Outreach Chair. " When we come together, we’re able to do so much more."

In her 2020 interview with UNICEF USA, Olivia Harrison reflected on the Fund's role in promoting global citizenship. "I think young people are more conscious than ever and more compassionate than ever," she said. "To know you are helping, even if it's just one person, that’s all it takes. It’s a seed we all have to plant within ourselves. Charitable work is a muscle; the more you do, the stronger it gets, and it becomes part of your being."

Learn more about recent Club Challenge winners.