An international charity which helps people in rural Africa affected by climate change issues has been awarded nearly £1.4 million by the government.

Send a Cow were selected from more than 30 charities that applied for support through the International Development Partnership (IDP).

According to the government, the grant aims to facilitate ’lasting and sustainable change’ through the creation of partnerships between the government and a number of international charities.

A spokesperson for the International Development Team explained the budget for IDPs is normally £1.2 million per year, but the allocations for this funding include an underspend from last year’s budget which was not disbursed at the time due to the focus being on the pandemic.

The sum donated to Send a Cow’s project is to cover two financial years (2021/22 and 2022/23).

The projects funded by this grant are normally larger scale projects intended to facilitate sustainable change and are therefore allocated a larger portion of the overall budget.

It was one of two charities chosen to receive the grant.

The charity will use the £1.37 million to fund projects that help people affected by the impact of climate change in Burundi, a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley where the African Great Lakes region and East Africa converge.

It will equip them with skills to ’grow their way’ out of poverty.

Subsequently, it should also help educate thousands more people to manage their own natural resources, improve environmental sustainability and empower women to participate in environmental and economic activities.

Chief Minister Howard Quayle (pictured) said: ’The pandemic has shown us how globally connected we are and I am delighted that the Isle of Man can support this important work.’

Details of the second charity to be selected are soon to be announced by the government.

The figure given to that charity will be similar to that awarded to Send a Cow.