• The ”la Caixa” Foundation has increased its contribution to the Alliance for Child Vaccination to €3 million annually from 2025–2027

  • All donations to the Alliance for Child Vaccination will continue to be quadrupled through the matching fund formula 1=4, thanks to contributions from the ”la Caixa” Foundation and the Gates Foundation

  • To date, this initiative has raised over €100 million, enabling the immunisation of millions of children – primarily against pneumonia – in highly vulnerable areas of Africa that lack access to vaccines

Barcelona, 28 January 2025 – The ”la Caixa” Foundation has increased its contribution to the Alliance for Child Vaccination to €3 million per year. This renewed commitment, unveiled during the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, extends the partnership with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance for a three-year period through 2027, underscoring the ”la Caixa” Foundation’s dedication to advancing global health and immunisation efforts.

The Alliance for Child Vaccination was launched by the ”la Caixa” Foundation in 2008 in partnership with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance in Europe, with support from the Gates Foundation and in collaboration with the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal). Since its inception, this initiative has raised over €100 million, enabling the immunisation of millions of children – primarily against pneumonia – in highly vulnerable areas of Africa that lack access to vaccines.

This success has been made possible through contributions from the ”la Caixa” Foundation; donations from 5,500 companies across Spain as part of a philanthropy initiative included in their corporate social responsibility programmes; and contributions from supportive citizens. All contributions and donations received are quadrupled through the matching fund formula 1=4, by which every euro donated is matched by an additional euro from the ”la Caixa” Foundation, up to €3 million annually.

The Gates Foundation, through its intended contribution to the Gavi Matching Fund, is pleased to match the commitment announced by the ”la Caixa” Foundation, further amplifying the impact. In parallel, ISGlobal, a strategic partner of the Alliance for Child Vaccination since 2014, will continue to provide its invaluable scientific and academic expertise to the project.

Over the last five years, the funds raised by the ”la Caixa” Foundation have fully financed the cost of pneumonia vaccines in Mozambique.

“Seventeen years ago, none of us could have predicted the extraordinary impact of the innovative Alliance for Child Vaccination, with over 11 million children vaccinated to date. We will continue working with Gavi and the Gates Foundation, and engage new private sector partners to achieve universal immunisation – a right for every child,” emphasised HRH Princess Cristina, Director of the International Area at the ”la Caixa” Foundation.

“We are deeply grateful to our oldest private sector partner, the ”la Caixa” Foundation, for this first multi-annual commitment,” stated Dr Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. “This unique partnership, amplified by the Gates Foundation contribution to the Gavi Matching Fund, demonstrates how private sector collaboration can drive transformative change. Together, we are making significant strides in Gavi’s mission to deliver life-saving vaccines to the world’s most under-served communities.”

“The unwavering support of partners like the ”la Caixa” Foundation has been essential and has helped Gavi reach over one billion children with life-saving vaccines since 2000,” said Joe Cerell, the Gates Foundation’s Managing Director for Europe, the Middle East, and East Asia. “We are grateful for the ”la Caixa” Foundation’s commitment to channel investments that drive meaningful progress for child health and look forward to continuing to work together to advance Gavi’s mission.”

Notes to Editors

About Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance is a public-private partnership that helps vaccinate more than half the world’s children against some of the world’s deadliest diseases. The Vaccine Alliance brings together developing country and donor governments, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Bank, the vaccine industry, technical agencies, civil society, the Gates Foundation and other private sector partners. View the full list of donor governments and other leading organisations that fund Gavi’s work here.

Since its inception in 2000, Gavi has helped to immunise a whole generation – over 1.1 billion children – and prevented more than 18.8 million future deaths, helping to halve child mortality in 78 lower‑income countries. Gavi also plays a key role in improving global health security by supporting health systems as well as funding global stockpiles for Ebola, cholera, meningococcal and yellow fever vaccines. After two decades of progress, Gavi is now focused on protecting the next generation, above all the zero-dose children who have not received even a single vaccine shot. The Vaccine Alliance employs innovative finance and the latest technology – from drones to biometrics – to save lives, prevent outbreaks before they can spread and help countries on the road to self-sufficiency. Learn more at www.gavi.org and connect with us on Facebook and X (Twitter).

About the Alliance for Child Vaccination

The “la Caixa” Foundation’s Alliance for Child Vaccination is a unique model of engagement involving individuals and businesses in a corporate social responsibility initiative that is a pioneer in Europe. The initiative is supported by CaixaBank’s Corporate and Private Banking teams and its entire branch network, which have been key to the dissemination and success of the program.

Through this effort, CaixaBank Corporate Banking raises awareness among its clients as part of a social responsibility action that allows them to give back to society. Meanwhile, CaixaBank Private Banking promotes support for Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, through its Social Value Project, which encourages and supports the philanthropic interests of its clients.

The “la Caixa” Foundation: Over a Century Building a Better World

The “la Caixa” Foundation, established in 1904, aims to provide opportunities for those most in need to contribute to building a fairer and more equitable society. It is the largest private foundation in Spain and one of the most prominent globally.

Its primary focus is on social programs that address major contemporary challenges, such as promoting employment among disadvantaged groups, combating child poverty, supporting people with advanced illnesses, and encouraging active and healthy aging. Other strategic areas include medical research, excellence in education, culture, and promoting equality of opportunity—all vital for progress.

Since 1997, the “la Caixa” Foundation has been generating opportunities and combating inequality among the most vulnerable populations in Africa, Asia, and Latin America through programs that promote employment, improve health and child survival, provide humanitarian aid, train professionals, and fund international cooperation projects. These efforts are carried out in partnership with leading European and international foundations and organizations.

MEDIA CONTACTS

Meg Sharafudeen
+41 79 711 55 54
msharafudeen@gavi.org

Laura Shevlin
+ 41 79 529 92 87
lshevlin@gavi.org

Share

 

Related Content