PR Newswire and Kilimanjaro Education Foundation Open New Classroom in Tanzania
NEW YORK (July 16, 2008) /PRNewswire/—PR Newswire and Kilimanjaro Education Foundation (KEF) a non-profit organization that strives to improve education and build school facilities for African children, announced today the opening of a new 1,000 square foot modern-day classroom in the village of Olturoto, just outside of Arusha, Tanzania. The classroom, which officially opened on June 23, is equipped with desks, chairs, electricity, two Dell laptop computers, and Internet connectivity. Four hundred lesson books were also provided to the students in all their subjects.
"PR Newswire is proud to give the children of the Olturoto Primary School an improved educational opportunity and to enhance the students' ability to expand their knowledge and communicate with the world," remarked Dave Armon, President of PR Newswire. "Corporate social responsibility is taken very seriously at PR Newswire, and we continually look for opportunities where, as an organization, we can have a positive impact upon communities and individuals around the world. It has been our privilege to work with KEF to make this classroom a reality."
The classroom project was initiated by KEF as part of its ongoing effort to improve educational opportunities for underprivileged children in Tanzania and other countries bordering Mt. Kilimanjaro. In 2007, the employees of PR Newswire elected KEF as its global charity, and its parent company, United Business Media (UBM), made a donation to build the classroom for the students of Olturoto Primary School.
"The opening of the KEF/PR Newswire classroom is a momentous event for the village of Olturoto. This classroom will change the lives of our students by giving them access to many of the modern educational tools that are necessary to advance in today's world," said James Meengienga, Olturoto school headmaster. "Prior to the opening of this classroom, most of the children had never seen a computer before, and our furniture used to consist of discarded wood planks and boxes. Now, our students have brand new desks and chairs, and we are the only school in the area with electricity and Internet access."
Building the classroom was KEF's second major undertaking in 2008. In February, KEF completed its initial charity project of constructing the first bathroom facility on the Olturoto school grounds. Monies used for the project were raised through personal and corporate donations by seven volunteer climbers, each of whom successfully participated in a seven-day charity climb and summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Another charity climb is scheduled for this October.
"On behalf of Kilimanjaro Educational Foundation and its many volunteers, we are very thankful for PR Newswire's generosity and its dedication to the classroom project," said Todd Grossman, KEF Founder and Vice President of Sales for MultiVu, a PR Newswire company. "At KEF, we strive to provide African children the same educational opportunities that other children around the world have been given. This classroom and the computers will allow the students the opportunity to communicate in new ways through email, chat and video, including direct, instant contact with their pen pals at Canton Intermediate School, in Canton, Connecticut."
About KEF
Kilimanjaro Education Foundation (KEF), (www.kef4kids.org) founded in 2006, is incorporated in New York State and organized as a 501(c)(3). KEF strives to improve education and to build school facilities for underprivileged children in Tanzania and other countries bordering Kilimanjaro. KEF's volunteers and directors share in and impart not only the Foundation's passion for children and education, but also in KEF's core values of honesty, integrity, creativity and imagination.
About PR Newswire
PR Newswire Association LLC (http://www.prnewswire.com/) provides electronic distribution, targeting, measurement and broadcast services on behalf of tens of thousands of corporate, government, association, labor, non-profit, and other customers worldwide. Using PR Newswire, these organizations reach a variety of critical audiences including the news media, the investment community, government decision-makers, and the general public with their up-to-the-minute, full-text news developments.
Established in 1954, PR Newswire has offices in 14 countries and routinely sends its customers' news to outlets in more than 170 countries and in more than 40 languages. Utilizing the latest in communications technology, PR Newswire content is considered a mainstay among news reporters, investors and individuals who seek breaking news from the source. PR Newswire's leading services include ProfNet(SM), eWatch™, MEDIAtlas™, Search Engine Optimization, MediaRoom, MediaSense™, MultiVu™, U.S. Newswire, the preeminent policy newswire in the industry, Vintage Filings, the fastest growing Edgar filing company, and Hispanic PR Wire, LatinClips and Hispanic Digital Network, the foremost Hispanic communications services. PR Newswire is a subsidiary of United Business Media Limited of London.
