NY

Earlier in August, CapitaLand Vietnam’s staff volunteers visited the CapitaLand Nang Yen Primary Hope School and helped with repair works to enhance the students’ learning environment for the new school year.

In May 2011, CHF donated VND2.2 billion to build a new two-storey school building and a library-cum-reading room as well as to upgrade the existing school facilities. This is part of the total donation of VND3.3 billion by CHF and the People’s Committee of Thanh Ba District in Phu Tho Province. CapitaLand Nang Yen Primary Hope School has benefited 180 underprivileged children with upgraded amenities and a more conducive learning environment since it was completed in October 2011.

Mr Olivier Lim, Group Deputy CEO, CapitaLand Limited, said: “As we continue to grow our business in Vietnam, we are committed to giving back to the local community. This is part of CapitaLand’s community development commitment to ‘Building People – Building For Tomorrow’ which recognises that the long-term success of the company’s business is closely intertwined with the health and prosperity of the communities in which we operate.”

Mr.Chen Lian Pang, CEO CapitaLand Vietnam, said: “In 2011, we saw the opportunity for us to make good use our expertise in real estate development to enhance the schoolchildren’s learning environment at CapitaLand Nang Yen Primary Hope School. Beyond donations, we are committed to giving time and attention to the schoolchildren through volunteer expeditions as well. As such, students and teachers of the Hope School have grown familiar with CapitaLand Vietnam’s staff who contributed to build the school and to create the library. The schoolbags we have donated today symbolise the potential of every child to achieve greatness through education, and the hope for a better future.”

Mr Tan Seng Chai, Group Chief Corporate Officer, CapitaLand Limited and Executive Director, CapitaLand Hope Foundation, said: “CapitaLand, through CHF, is committed to support underprivileged children through its community development efforts in countries where it operates. CHF has donated more than S$1.8 million in support of the ‘My Schoolbag’ programme since 2009. The programme has reached out to nearly 70,000 children beneficiaries in various countries including Singapore, China, India, Japan and Malaysia and we are pleased to extend it to Vietnam this year. We hope that the schoolbags donated today will give the students at CapitaLand Nang Yen Primary Hope School a headstart in life and bring them the joy of learning.”

CapitaLand Nang Yen Primary Hope School is located in Nang Yen Commune, Thanh Ba District, Phu Tho Province, which is a remote and mountainous area approximately 130 kilometers north of Hanoi. CHF has also helped build 23 CapitaLand Hope Schools in remote areas of China.

Ms Do Thi Thanh Tam, Principal of CapitaLand Nang Yen Primary Hope School, said: “We greatly appreciate CapitaLand’s effort in supporting the development of education in Nang Yen commune and Thanh Ba district and we believe that the “My Schoolbag” initiative marks the continuation of a lasting relationship between CapitaLand and CapitaLand Nang Yen Hope School, and I hope that we can continue working together to further develop the future of the children in our community.”

Apart from CapitaLand Hope Schools and the ‘My Schoolbag’ initiative, CHF also supports various philanthropic initiatives that support the education, healthcare and shelter needs of underprivileged children up to 16 years old in Singapore and overseas. To date, it has donated about S$20 million to benefit underprivileged children. In support of volunteerism, more than 2,000 CapitaLand staff volunteered over 19,000 hours during work days to participate in various volunteering activities across Asia in 2012.