TNT demonstrates the “Sure We Can” attitude once again

BENGALURU –June 7th 2009 marked an important day for Bengaluru as more than 500 people joined World Food Programme (WFP) and its major corporate partners, TNT, Unilever and DSM, in a walk to raise awareness and money to feed hungry school children in some of the poorest countries in the world. 

On Sunday morning, the walk started from TNT office in Richmond Road and ended at Cubbon Park and it witnessed people from all age group. Celebrities like Aniruddha – Famous Kannada chid artist, renowned cricketer Sunil Joshi , Mihoko Tamamura-WFP Director and Carlton Saldhana - General Manager , Cricket for Frontiers Group also participated in the walk. Like last year, Radio City continued to be the Official Radio Partner for this event, while News9 joined this cause for the first time and was the official television partner for this event.

“End Hunger: Walk the World” – an annual event now in its seventh year – saw people walking for hunger in 70 countries. It began in Australia with a climb up the Sydney Harbour Bridge and continued through all 24 time zones. It was marked by pop concerts in Indonesia and traditional Maasai dances in Kenya, and concluded on the Pacific island of Samoa

It costs WFP just 20 Euro cents to provide a nutritious meal to a child at school. School feeding programmes also give parents an extra incentive to keep their children in school, and help to lay a healthy foundation for a better future for the young.

 

"Hunger continues to be the greatest threat to health worldwide, killing a child every six seconds. We at TNT believe that it is our duty to fight hunger, a menace that threatens the basic of human existence", said Mr. Abhik Mitra, Managing Director, TNT India

 “End Hunger – Walk the World”, provides a powerful demonstration of public support for WFP’s fight against hunger, with employees from the three supporting companies walking together with friends and family, as well as celebrities,local dignitaries, and WFP employees. In some countries, children who have benefited from the WFP school feeding programme will also walk in solidarity.

Funds generated through the Walk will be used to provide nutritious food supplement to children to facilitate non-formal learning of children in the age group of 3 to 6 years from the most deprived sections of the society. These children participate in pre-school education activities under the Government of India's Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS). This programme promotes the psychosocial development of children preparing them for regular schooling. The World Food programme India supports approximately half a million children annually across three states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Orissa.

"End Hunger: Walk the World" evolved from an initiative of TNT employees in Asia in 2003, with Unilever joining as a key organizer in 2007. Over the past seven years, the event mobilized approximately 1 million participants and raised funds to feed over 100,000 children in school for one year.