Presentation
On 22 April of this year, In the presence of the fundraisers and their children, Yvan Dejaeghere, the Chief Executive of Technische Unie, presented the proceeds of the Anniversary Fundraising Campaign to UNICEF Ambassador, Monique van de Ven, a famous Dutch actress and film director who has been working for UNICEF for years. She was clearly both surprised and delighted to see the huge sum that Technische Unie customers managed to raise for the ‘Back to School’ project.
Back in the classroom
The object of the ‘Back to School’ project is to get as many Burundese children as possible back in the classroom. After twelve years of civil war Burundi is now hard at work rebuilding the country. Education is a crucial part of this process, but the war has left the country with a shortage of schoolrooms, teachers and teaching materials. The money raised by the Anniversary Fundraising Campaign will be spent on teaching materials, (temporary) classrooms and a communication campaign. Teachers are being trained so they know how to make the best use of the teaching materials provided and how to deal with children who have been traumatised by the war.
Expansion
Partly thanks to the efforts made by those involved in the ‘Back to School’ project, the percentage of children who go to school in Burundi has increased considerably – from 56% in 2003/2004 to approximately 70% by the end of 2005. The money donated by the Anniversary Fundraising Campaign will now make it possible to expand the project to other parts of Burundi, so before long before even more children in Burundi will be going ‘back to school’.
New project
In the meantime, in light of the success of the fundraising campaign, Technische Unie has decided to continue the initiative. Sales of the articles that help to raise money have increased by up to 30%. And the campaign also offers the manufacturers who take part excellent possibilities for promotion. The TU Fundraising Campaign 2006 will enable customers to raise money for city breaks, gift items and a good cause. This year Technische Unie has decided to donate the proceeds of the campaign to a project run by SOS-Kinderdorpen in Guinea Bissau, which works to give orphaned children the chance to fulfil their dreams for the future.
