Mobile payment Ebola fundraising aims to break records

An online fundraising campaign by the United Nations World Food Program, the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation and China's Internet giant Tencent called for greater public attention and assistance in the global fight against Ebola on Monday.

Donations can be made via Tencent's QQ wallet platform, an online payment service incorporated with the instant messaging tool QQ. More than 800 million QQ users are now potential donors to the campaign.

The funds raised will be directed toward WFP's emergency operations to meet the basic food and nutrition needs of affected families and communities in the three worst hit countries -- Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

The campaign is attempting to set two new online fundraising records: the most individual donations on a single online platform within 24 hours and one week, which will be recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records.

"WFP is pleased to work with Tencent and their users on this unique campaign," said Jay Aldous, WFP's Director for Private Sector Partnerships. "Every contribution, no matter what amount, from Tencent's many users will make a difference to the families in West Africa dealing with the terrible disease."

Yin Yu, Vice-President of Tencent, said with the opening of the mobile payment platform, more people can join the fight against Ebola at any time and place using their cell phones.

"It underlines Tencent's commitment of using technology as a force for good around the world," he said.

Since the outbreak in April, WFP has provided food assistance to more than 2 million people and has supported the medical response through logistical services for the entire humanitarian community, including air transport of people and equipment.

According to the World Health Organization, more than 18,000 Ebola cases have been reported in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, of which over 6,900 died.