Roche Children's Walk raises funds for disadvantaged kids

MANILA, Philippines - For many years, Roche employees at company sites around the world have been showing solidarity with children in need by supporting day-care centers in Malawi, Africa and children’s charities in their own countries. Their commitment is well worthwhile. To date, the Roche Children’s Walk has raised some 6 million Swiss francs to provide lasting assistance to disadvantaged children. This year, the event took place for the seventh time on June 16, 2010, uniting about 15,000 employees at 103 sites behind one good cause.

“The International Day of the African Child is not just a chance to celebrate children,” says Severin Schwan, CEO of Roche, “it is also an opportunity to raise public awareness of children’s needs. By taking part in the Children’s Walk, Roche employees are expressing their solidarity with children who have not been fortunate in life and have to rely on the assistance of others. Because we know that their efforts deliver tangible aid, Roche doubles the amount of money they raise.”

Around 60,000 Roche walkers from 100 sites worldwide have taken part in the sponsored walk since its inception in 2003, and it has long been a permanent fixture in their diaries. Furthermore, after every year’s walk, employees who have led the fundraising results at their site are given the opportunity to travel to Malawi to see at first hand how the daycare centers Roche supports are helping children. Roche organizes the Children’s Walk and bears all the costs associated with it.

Roche works with the European Coalition of Positive People (ECPP) to support day-care centers in Malawi that look after more than 3,000 children who have been orphaned by AIDS. Part of the money raised also supports the educational initiatives set up jointly by UNICEF Switzerland, and UNICEF Malawi to improve schools and education in Malawi, Africa a country where orphans are often prevented by their poverty from attending school or learning a profession.

Roche and the ECPP are working in partnership to provide direct aid to orphans in Malawi. The partnership builds, equips, manages, and maintains orphan centers in rural southern Malawi, cares for orphans, and provides financial assistance to children who want to enter secondary education.

Part of the money raised also continues to support schools and education in Malawi through collaboration with UNICEF. After constructing 18 classrooms plus related hygiene facilities and teachers’ rooms at local schools as the first phase, the focus is now shifting to the dire lack of trained teachers for schools throughout the country.

UNICEF Switzerland in conjunction with UNICEF Malawi is initiating a program for the construction of a teachers’ college in southern region of Malawi. A portion of the Children’s Walk funds will assist the assessment, planning, and creation of this new community resource.