VILVOORDE, March 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading apparel company, C&A, and philanthropic organization, C&A Foundation, have teamed up with the charity, Save the Children, in a three-year, multi-million euro international alliance to support millions of mothers who are coping with humanitarian crises.
Projects will focus both on disaster preparedness, as well as immediate response to emergencies. The C&A Foundation will provide Save the Children with financial support of up to 3 million euros annually to carry out this important work.
"Unfortunately, emergencies and humanitarian crises happen all too often. Statistics show that more than 250 million children under 5 years of age live in countries affected by armed conflicts. In these circumstances, it is extremely difficult for mothers to keep their children safe and healthy," says Hans Ploos van Amstel, Co-Chief Executive Officer C&A Europe. "Throughout our long history, our commitment to supporting society has always played an important role at C&A. We feel a responsibility towards families and the communities in which we live. Mothers lie at the heart of both. That is why we want to help empower mothers and children affected by emergencies."
C&A and C&A Foundation have established a legacy of supporting in humanitarian relief efforts through various partnerships worldwide.
"We felt that the time was right to consolidate our efforts and work more efficiently through one global partner," explains Leslie Johnston, Executive Director of C&A Foundation. "We were looking for a partner who is as passionate about children and mothers as we are; but we also needed an organization with the capacity and resources to both work proactively to prepare for disasters, as well as respond quickly and efficiently to emergencies worldwide."
Save the Children was a natural choice for partnership as C&A and C&A Foundation have supported this organization in the past on crises such as Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines and Ebola in Sierra Leone. Save the Children operates in C&A and the C&A Foundation's key locations including Europe, China, Mexico, Brazil and C&A's sourcing countries. It is also working in emergency situations that directly affect communities with whom both entities work.
"Children and mothers are particularly vulnerable in emergencies and crisis situations," adds Jasmine Whitbread, CEO of Save the Children International. "We are very pleased that we have - with both C&A and C&A Foundation - found passionate and engaged partners that care for the lives of the millions of mothers and their families that are struggling to survive in conflicts, crises and disasters. Together we will be able make a difference."
In addition to the funding provided by C&A Foundation, C&A will also involve its employees and customers in supporting the partnership, adding additional resources to further contribute to the vision of Save the Children: A world in which every child attains the right to survival, protection, development and participation.
About C&A
With nearly 2,000 stores in 24 countries worldwide and around 60,000 employees, C&A is a leading fashion retail business. C&A welcomes and provides millions of visitors each day with good quality fashion at affordable prices for their entire family.
C&A is an enterprise of COFRA Holding AG with a presence in Europe, Brazil, Mexico and China.
For more information, visit www.canda.com.
About C&A Foundation
C&A Foundation is a private foundation that aspires to a fair and sustainable apparel industry in which everyone can thrive. The foundation works to address the deeply-rooted challenges of the sector by supporting and driving initiatives, and partnering with key stakeholders to maximize results. The affiliation with C&A, a leading global clothing retailer, not only allows the foundation to test, replicate and scale programs that can help the apparel industry become a force for greater good, but also compels the foundation to support communities affected by humanitarian crises.
For more information, visit www.candafoundation.org.
About Save the Children
Save the Children works in more than 120 countries. We save children's lives. We fight for their rights. We help them fulfil their potential.
For more information, visit www.savethechildren.de.
Press Contacts:
C&A Global
Senneberg, Jean Monnetlaan 1
Vilvoorde 1804
Belgium
Bill Law, Director Corporate Communications
Tel.: +32 2 257-6811