Finnair and UNICEF help children in India


Finnair is once more launching its Change for Good campaign on international flights in cooperation with UNICEF Finland. The campaign’s aim is to raise funds for UNICEF's 'Clean Water and Environment for Children of India' programme, for the third and final year.

The programme places special emphasis on the importance of maintaining sanitation, hygiene and clean water. The target area in the north-east Indian state of Bihar is one of the country’s poorest and most densely populated areas.

With the project’s help, 224 schools have already received new water outlets and toilets. Teachers have been trained to teach children to learn about the importance of washing their hands. When the project started, only 3 per cent of children washed their hands before eating; that figure has now risen to 91 per cent.

Finnair and UNICEF are now working together with Change for Good for the sixteenth time. Change for Good is being carried out on almost all international Finnair flights over the six-week period from November 28. The idea is that coins and notes of any currency and denomination can be placed for collection in the envelopes provided in aircraft seat pockets, then handed to cabin crew for collection.

A new element of the campaign is the option of donating Finnair Plus Points toward UNICEF Finland, available as of December 1.

"We are adding new support to the campaign because there are fewer currencies with the widespread use of the euro," says Arja Suominen, responsible for corporate communications and corporate responsibility at Finnair. "We also want to offer our customers more ways to contribute to good causes, choosing the ones that are closest to themselves. As an international organization, UNICEF suits us well because our customer base is also international."    

Change for Good has been the official charity for many members of the oneworld global alliance since 1999. The campaign has made efficient and concrete contributions to improving life in developing countries.

The period for this year’s campaign is November 28 to January 8, 2012. Donations can also be made through UNICEF Finland’s web site at www.unicef.fi/lahjoita-changeforgood.


Further information:
Finnair Media Desk tel. +358 9 818 4020, comms(a)finnair.com
Photobank: http://gallery.finnair.com
Finnair blogs: http://blogs.finnair.com
Finnair on Facebook: www.facebook.com/finnair
Finnair Group website: www.finnairgroup.com
Feel Finnair: http://feel.finnair.com