By BONIFACE AKARAH

Spanish football giants FC Barcelona have launched an emergency fundraising campaign to support humanitarian relief efforts in Venezuela, with the club's foundation making an initial contribution of €100,000 to assist vulnerable children and families affected by the crisis.

The club announced on Saturday that the funds will strengthen the work of humanitarian organisations already partnering with the FC Barcelona Foundation on the ground, providing emergency assistance, child protection, access to clean water, food, healthcare, education and support for displaced people.

According to the club, the humanitarian situation in Venezuela continues to affect millions of people, particularly children and adolescents, prompting the need for a coordinated international response.

"The humanitarian situation in Venezuela continues to affect millions of people, especially children and adolescents, who require a coordinated response from the international community," Barcelona said in a statement.

In response, the FC Barcelona Foundation has appealed to its members, supporters' clubs, fans, businesses and the wider public to support the initiative through financial donations.

The club said the €100,000 initial contribution, alongside funds raised during the campaign, will be channelled through humanitarian organisations with proven operational capacity and an established presence on the ground to ensure assistance reaches those most in need.

"The FC Barcelona Foundation thus reaffirms its commitment to children's rights, the values of solidarity and responding to humanitarian emergencies around the world," the statement added.

As part of the campaign, Barcelona will introduce a solidarity round-up programme at various points of sale across the club's facilities from July 1 to encourage wider participation by supporters.

"To encourage participation across the entire Barça community, from 1 July FC Barcelona will introduce a solidarity round-up mechanism at various points of sale within the club's facilities," the club said.

It added: "Anyone making a purchase will be able to make a voluntary contribution by rounding up the amount of their transaction. All funds raised will be used to support the humanitarian actions undertaken by the organisations benefiting from the emergency campaign for Venezuela."

The beneficiaries of the fundraising campaign include the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), UNICEF, Save the Children and the Red Cross.

According to Barcelona, UNHCR will use donations to provide shelter, legal protection and basic assistance to refugees, displaced persons and stateless people forced to flee their homes because of conflicts, persecution or humanitarian crises.

UNICEF will direct funds towards protecting children's rights through healthcare, nutrition, education, child protection, water and sanitation programmes, while Save the Children will continue supporting children affected by humanitarian emergencies, poverty and social exclusion through protection and education initiatives.

The Red Cross will deploy donations to international humanitarian operations, including healthcare assistance, food and water distribution, protection of vulnerable populations and support for the recovery of affected communities.

Barcelona said the initiative reflects the club's long-standing commitment to using sport as a platform for humanitarian action and supporting vulnerable communities across the world.