K-C to launch on-line journal to highlight UNICEF Brazil field trip

06 Nov '07

2 min read

Kimberly-Clark Corporation announced a donation totaling nearly $1 million to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF (the United Nations Children's fund), which will focus on reducing the rate of infant mortality and increasing and improving access to basic sanitation, nutrition and education programs for families and children in Brazil.

Kimberly-Clark's first installment of $325,000 is targeted to benefit indigenous children in the Amazon region and Quilombolas children in Brazil's Semi-arid region. UNICEF and the company have prioritized this work for several key reasons including:

• In 95 percent of the Semi-arid municipalities, the infant mortality rate is higher than Brazil's national average.
• The percentage of malnourished children younger than 2 in this region is four times as high as in the South Region (8.3 percent vs. 2.3 percent).
• Almost half (42 percent) of the boys and girls living in the Semi-arid area have no access to piped water, a well or a water spring.

To determine the best use of the additional installments, K-C is sending employees on a field trip this week to areas where UNICEF humanitarian efforts are already underway. Following these visits, the company, together with UNICEF officials, will identify the priorities and programs that will be funded in 2008.

Examples of projects that will be evaluated include training and education for health care providers, early childhood development programs for parents and caregivers, and improved access to health care services.

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