Nokia Offers 6 Million Euro for Preschool Care and Education Funding

Nokia announced today that it will provide funds of over 6 million Euro to Plan, one of the most important international children's organization, in order to increase preschool and early childhood care and development programs across China. This represents the largest corporate investment ever made in preschool care and education in rural China.

For the beginning, six designated impoverished Chinese counties will benefit from the Heart to Heart, Hand to Hand Project, with other eighteen counties to follow. The project's goal is to establish more than 1,200 early childhood care and development centers which will offer care to over 70,000 children. The project's initial phase will run for three years, but Nokia wants to make it a long term sustainable program to enable other different projects in the future.

"Education is a core component of our corporate social responsibility program," said Colin Giles, President of Nokia China. "Children are our future, and success lies in investing in the future. The success that Nokia enjoys today comes from the support of Chinese consumers. As a responsible corporate citizen, Nokia is pleased to contribute to the care and education of disadvantaged children in China in collaboration with Plan China. Our goal is to create a better environment for rural preschool children. The Heart to Heart, Hand to Hand Project will improve the care and education system for disadvantaged children in rural China and create a more healthy and harmonious environment for them."

"This is a great day for children in rural China," said James Murray, Director of Plan China. "Currently, hundreds of thousands of rural Chinese children are missing out on opportunities because they have limited access to preschool education and care. Education has many benefits for the development of children in later life. This pioneering partnership will ensure a bright future for tens of thousands of children and stand as a shining example to others."

According to statistics, more than 65% of children in rural China do not receive preschool care and education and, from the ones who do, only a small number have access to child-rearing programs.

"Child-rearing programs and preschool care and education not only benefit the children but also have a positive impact on society," said Zheng Xinrong, Head of Education Department, Beijing Normal University. "With Nokia's initiation of the Heart to Heart, Hand to Hand Project, a model of cooperation has been established in the area of China's rural preschool care and education We would like to call upon more companies and groups to contribute."

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