Community sponsorships
ING is committed to supporting the community we are part of. In New Zealand, we do this by assisting our selected charities to increase awareness of their cause, and also by providing financial and resource assistance with their fundraising activities.
UNICEF
The ING Chances for Children programme supports the work of UNICEF globally by providing funding and other support for their projects.
UNICEF has been working for 60 years to save children’s lives and lead them into a healthy, productive adulthood. Today, UNICEF focuses not only on health and survival, but also on ensuring that the gains made are kept. Though the world has seen global gains in child survival statistics since 1990, UNICEF is concerned that there are significant discrepancies within and across countries. Their aim is to ‘level the playing field’ by working to realise every child’s right to survive and thrive.
Supporting charities through sponsorship
Over many years, ING has supported a number of charities through the sponsorship of sporting events, most notably golf. The events we have sponsored include:
The ING NZ PGA Championship, with the proceeds going to Ronald MacDonald House and the Steve Williams Foundation
A number of golf tournaments, with the proceeds benefitting individuals taking part in the activities of Special Olympics New Zealand
LBF Marrowthon (golf tournament),.with all funds raised going to the Leukaemia and Blood Foundation
Golf tournaments to raise funds for the Malaghan Institute
Donation to Starship Foundation to assist with organisation of a fund raising event.
ING Community News
UNICEF tents are unloaded at Chengdu airport for families rendered homeless by the Sichuan earthquake.
UNICEF in a joint-mission with Chinese government to assess the educational needs. They visited the Xinjian Primary School in Dujiangyan that collapsed in the earthquake.
ING raises US$850,000 for Sichuan earthquake relief
ING’s swift response to the earthquake relief helped raise more than US$850,000 from a combination of corporate, employee donations and Group matching within one month following the disaster in China. Some US$370,000 has already been disbursed to immediate relief for the provision of shelter, food and medical supplies via the Red Cross, UNICEF and local NGOs in China to help the victims.
Given the scope of the destruction, it will take at least three years before the educational infrastructure is rebuilt. While the government and agencies are starting to formulate long-term plans for recovery, ING will utilise its remaining funding for long-term reconstruction in relation to children’s education.
UNICEF is currently in talks with the Sichuan Education Commission to identify the education needs. It will focus on providing technical expertise to design school centres and to select learning materials based on international standards.
Children attending school in a UNICEF tent classroom in the city of Mianyang, in one of the areas hardest hit by the earthquake.
Education funding to Sichuan
Almost 7,000 schools and were completely destroyed and another 3,000 school buildings suffered partial damage in the provinces affected by the Sichuan earthquake. An education assessment mission organised by the Chinese Government with UNICEF participation concluded resumption of formal classes is a top priority for children to get back to a sense of normality.
ING has disbursed US$160,000 from our Relief Account to build 65 school tents and 40 school-in-a-box kits, which helps 3,250 students get back to school immediately with the necessary teaching and learning materials. Each temporary school is equipped with safe water and sanitation facilities adapted for children.
Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced following the destruction of their homes. There are fears of outbreaks of disease as water levels remain high.
ING’s response to the Myanmar cyclone relief effort
On 2 May, a tropical cyclone struck the southern region of Myanmar which caused widespread devastation to the region. United Nations estimates that 2.4 million people have been affected - 78,000 have died and another 56,000 have been declared missing. ING has donated EUR 100,000 to the Red Cross to purchase emergency hygiene kits desperately needed to limit the spread of disease among the victims. The hygiene kits containing mosquito nets, portable water, water purification tablets and household filter systems, were distributed about three days after their arrival, by the Myanmar Red Cross on 30 May.
- Last updated 24/06/2008
