Gucci makes 'Forever Now' commitment to UNICEF 'Schools for Africa'

29 Jun '10

5 min read

The Gucci children's collection will be available worldwide from November 2010 through Gucci's own direct store network, gucci.com and selected specialty and department stores.

The collection's official consumer launch will be celebrated with a global children's tea party in Gucci's worldwide flagship stores in November.

“We thank Gucci for this generous donation and their on-going commitment to UNICEF. Gucci is an important donor to the Schools for Africa programme which aims to transform children's lives through education in sub-Saharan Africa” said Nichole Brown, UNICEF Chief of Corporate and Foundation Fundraising. “It's important to remember that every donation translates into real differences in children's lives. When you invest in education the results not only impact children today but also future generations” "

GUCCI UNICEF PARTNERSHIP HISTORY
Since the Gucci/UNICEF partnership began in 2005, Gucci has committed over USD $8 million to UNICEF to support education, healthcare, protection and clean water programs for orphans and vulnerable children affected by HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa, where over 11 million children have lost one or both parents to the disease. This significant sum is a testament to the increased scale and scope of the company's support over this five-year period, and has resulted in Gucci's current status as the largest corporate donor to UNICEF's 'Schools for Africa' campaign.

The annual Gucci Campaign to Benefit UNICEF has consistently supported life-saving treatment, care and prevention programs for orphans and vulnerable children in Malawi and Mozambique, where nearly 1 million children have been orphaned by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Over time, the campaign – the most extensive philanthropic partnership in Gucci's history – has developed to focus on education and UNICEF's 'Schools for Africa' program, which aims to increase access to quality basic education for all children, with a special emphasis on helping the most disadvantaged – girls, orphans, children living in extreme poverty and other vulnerable children. 'Schools for Africa' is a joint campaign founded in 2004 by UNICEF, the Nelson Mandela Foundation and the Hamburg Society.

Funds from the first five years of the Gucci campaign are supporting important UNICEF programs, including:

Constructing new classrooms through the 'Schools for Africa' program
- Increasing the number of Child-Friendly Schools
- Equipping schools with proper water and sanitation facilities for girls and boys
- Communication and implementation of health, nutrition and hygiene programs
- Supporting HIV-positive children through Community-Based Child Care Centers

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