Minister for International Development, Shahid Malik said: "We trade more and more with people from all over the world so it is important that we understand how our actions and choices affect the lives of others and how we can make a difference by getting involved. The AFP's project to encourage Asian business owners increase trade links with India and commit to socially responsible business practice will have a huge impact on raising the development message.

"These projects will engage and harness the enthusiasm and knowledge of people of all ages into helping alleviate the grinding poverty that affects millions throughout the world."

The Development Awareness Fund (DAF) will back 26 new projects designed to help more people - from schoolchildren to community and faith groups - get personally involved in fighting global poverty. Other projects supported by the Fund include fair trade football tournaments, radio lessons for schoolchildren in developing countries and farm visits for 5-11 year olds. The new projects - being funded over three years - bring the total number of Development Awareness Fund projects currently running to 83.

The Department for International Development recently launched a new global volunteering initiative, Platform2, aimed at 18-25 year olds from less advantaged backgrounds. It also announced work with VSO on a volunteering scheme to boost the involvement of minority and ethnic groups, and a Government commitment to get more public sector workers to volunteer overseas.

ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT AWARENESS FUND

The Development Awareness Fund, which has been running since 1998, is designed to provide grants of between £10,000 and £100,000 a year for projects that are designed to promote public knowledge and understanding of development issues. The Fund focused on four themes:

• building long term knowledge and understanding of the major challenges and prospects for development;
• generating understanding of our global interdependence and in particular that failure to reduce global poverty levels will have serious consequences for us all;
• generating understanding of, and support for, international efforts to reduce poverty and promote development including the Millennium Development Goals.; and
• promoting understanding of the role that individuals can play; enabling them to make informed choices with the knowledge of how their actions impact on the world around them.

There are 26 new projects in total which will receive £1.86 million in the first year and a total of £5.6 million over their three year lifetime. The 83 DAF projects running during 2008-9 will receive £4.5 million in total this year. More information on the Fund, and the successful projects, can be found at www.dfid.gov.uk/news/files/DevAware-competition-08.asp