UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN’S FUND

Media Release

Anonymous business woman wins dinner with Gareth Morgan.

A New Zealand business woman has won a UNICEF auction on Trade Me to have dinner with economist and investor Gareth Morgan.

The anonymous winning bidder, who is well down the track with a new business venture, wants to have a general discussion with Mr Morgan – who is one of New Zealand’s top entrepreneurial brains.

“It’s a bit like when you’re about to climb Mt Everest, it makes sense to talk to someone who has already been there,” she says.

“There can be lots of potholes that get in your way. As often as not, they can be totally unexpected.”

Money raised from the celebrity auctions, which closed last Sunday at 12 am, will go to UNICEF’s Pakistan Children’s Emergency Relief appeal.

“It’s also a great cause – although I was surprised how quickly the bids ramped up at the end,” she says.

A second bidder for dinner with Mr Morgan was just $50 behind the winning bid.

Bids for TV1 presenter Ali Mau went to more than $1020 while dinner with TV3’s Mike McRoberts raised $525.

UNICEF executive director Dennis McKinlay said the news about money raised from the Trade Me auctions “was incredible and beyond expectations.”

UNICEF New Zealand has now raised $163,000 for Pakistan, out of a target of $250,000. “It’s great to see that Kiwis are chipping in,” he says.

Currently about 20% of Pakistan, or about 160,000 square kilometres, an area larger than England, is under water.

UNICEF staff in Pakistan are desperately trying to reach the 7- 8 million people worst-affected, of which 3.5 million are estimated to be children in danger of contracting water-borne diseases.

Stagnating water and sweltering temperatures are creating perfect conditions for spread of malaria, acute watery diarrhoea and cholera.

People can donate to UNICEF NZ’s Emergency Fund: www.unicef.org.nz

ENDS

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