Dufry joins the Hand in Hand for Haiti Student Sponsorship Program
Download Press ReleaseDufry is taking the initiative to join the Student Sponsorship Program launched by the Hand in Hand for Haiti Foundation (HIHH) by supporting children of an entire class of 25 students at the school complex “Lycée Jean-Baptiste Pointe du Sable” in Saint Marc north of the capital of Haiti, Port-au-Prince.
The hurricane-proof and anti-seismic educational institution was built as a humanitarian response to the catastrophic earthquake of January 2010. It was opened on 3 October 2011 to 153 students and was officially inaugurated on 17 May 2014 by Michel Martelly, President of the Republic of Haiti. The school has 300 children in 12 classes aged 3 to 8, and will eventually provide free education to over 700 students from nursery to secondary levels in the years to come.
With the donation of Dufry, the sponsored children will receive tuition-free trilingual education in French, English and Creole. This best-in-class academic program is in full alignment with the Haitian academic curriculum. Additionally, it provides children with two nutritious meals per day, health services, uniforms and school supplies as well as free bus transportation to and from school. After-school programs are organized daily for all children as well as day-camps during the Easter and summer breaks.
The Hand in Hand for Haiti initiative is the biggest charity fund-raiser in the travel retail industry’s history. Uniquely, the school is not only being funded by the industry, but operated by it on a permanent ongoing basis through the Foundation.
Julián Díaz, CEO of Dufry Group, commented: “We are very pleased to announce such a commitment to support the most fragile members of society, children, who need our special attention and protection especially in Haiti devastated by the earthquake in 2010.”
Olivier Bottrie, co-founder, Hand in Hand for Haiti: "We are very appreciative of Dufry's leadership and long-term commitment to support Hand in Hand for Haiti. Financial sustainability is the most critical success factor of our program, unique in scope and magnitude in Haiti. We are hopeful that others in the industry will join Dufry to ensure this charitable initiative lives on forever."
For further information about HIHH visit http://hihh.org/en/home/
Picture_Hand_in_Hand_for_Haiti(1)
