Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Foundation Donation Arrives in Karachi to Help Fight Against COVID-19

Karachi, Pakistan, March 25 – Today, the first batch of the much-needed medical supplies donated by the Jack Ma Foundation and the Alibaba Foundation arrived in Pakistan.

The shipment is part of the donation of medical supplies to 10 Asian countries announced on March 21. Collectively, the nations will receive a total of 1.8 million masks; kits for testing 210,000 people, 36,000 pieces of protective clothing, as well as essential medical equipment such as ventilators and forehead thermometers.

The National Disaster Management Authority, Government of Pakistan will transport and distribute the supplies throughout the country. Mr. Syed Murad Ali Shah, Chief Minister of Sindh, Pakistan took receipt of the donations from Ehsan Saya, Managing Director for Daraz in Pakistan in representation of the two foundations. Also present on the occasion were Mr.Li Bijian, Consul General of China to Karachi and Mr. Zhang Hao, Vice Consul of China to Karachi. The remainder of the donation is expected to reach Pakistan soon.

Mr. Li Bijian, Consul General of China to Karachi, said, “Since the outbreak of the pandemic in Pakistan, Government and people of China have been showing our solidarity with and providing assistance to our iron brother Pakistan.” On behalf of His Excellency Mr. Yao Jing, Ambassador of China to Pakistan, Mr. Li expressed his sincere thanks to Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Foundation for their generous donation. He added, “the efforts by the Federal and Provincial Governments of Pakistan to deal with the pandemic have been very strong and impressive.” He was firmly convinced that armed with today’s donation, Pakistan will eventually win the battle against the pandemic.

“We hope the donation will strengthen Pakistan’s fight against COVID-19 and prevent further community spread of the virus. We are committed to doing everything we can to make a difference, especially overcoming the tough logistical challenges for delivery and getting the medical supplies to where it is needed most as fast as we can,” said the Jack Ma Foundation.

This donation is among a number of aid initiatives from the Alibaba Foundation and Jack Ma Foundation to support the areas of the world most affected by the Covid-19 crisis, sourcing and delivering various types of medical supplies to Asia, United States, Africa, Italy, Belgium, France, Slovenia, Spain and Latin America.

The Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Foundation also supported the publication of a handbook with key lessons and experience from doctors, healthcare workers, and hospital administrators at the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine (FAHZU), who were on the frontline of COVID-19 treatment in China and crucial to slowing its spread. The handbook is available for global medical health professionals at https://covid-19.alibabacloud.com/.

Follow @JackMa and @foundation_ma on Twitter for the latest efforts of Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Foundation to support the global fight against COVID-19.

About Jack Ma Foundation 

Established by Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba Group, the Jack Ma Foundation was founded on 15 December 2014 and has been focusing on education, entrepreneurship, women’s leadership, and the environment. The Foundation aspires to be a reliable, participative, and sustainable philanthropic organisation. The Jack Ma Foundation has so far supported projects worldwide including the Jack Ma Rural Education Program, the Africa Netpreneur Prize Initiative, the Ma & Morley Scholarship Program, and Jordan’s Queen Rania Foundation. Additionally, the Foundation has also funded a number of projects in its priority areas. The Jack Ma Foundation is committed to empowering rural educators, entrepreneurs, rural children, young start-ups, and women to equip them for the future and to help build a happier, healthier, more sustainable and more inclusive society. 

About Alibaba Foundation

The Alibaba Foundation, established in December 2011, aims to create a culture that encourages people to get involved in philanthropy, make it sustainable and genuinely contribute to civil society and nature. Its key funding aspects include water protection, environmental awareness promotion and development of green organizations. Alibaba Group is committed to devoting a percentage of its annual income to the Alibaba Foundation to ensure stable long-term funding that will allow for timely response in the event of natural disasters or expansion of philanthropic projects.