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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Citigroup Inc. (NYSE: C)
November 07, 2007
Citi Foundation Grants US$16,500 to Citizens Foundation in Pakistan
If you were a resident of Bhains Colony, Nazeerabad, one of Karachi's largest slum areas, chances are your child would not be enrolled in school. With most of its residents subsisting on less than Rs. 150 a day, education has for the most part ceased to be a priority. This state of affairs was one of the key drivers behind Citi Foundation's decision to fund the operational cost for The Citizens Foundation's (TCF) Nazeerabad School for the period of one year.
True to its credo of providing quality education in Pakistan, TCF has established a purpose-built school, complete with a library and play area for 180 children in this area and by doing so has opened a window of opportunity to this community. What it required was a partner to support the operating expenditure of the school and this it found in Citibank N.A Pakistan, which facilitated the Citi Foundation to subsidize all school related expenses including teachers' salaries, teacher training, utility charges, etc.
A joint ceremony to mark the grant was held at the school itself in the presence of its staff and students with the CEO of TCF Lt. General (Retd) S.P. Shahid and Citi Chief of Staff Rayomond Kotwal signing a commemorative document, after a tour of the school. A brief presentation on TCF was also made with participation by TCF's Head Office and Regional Resource Mobilization teams.
Lt. General (Retd) S.P. Shahid said "TCF's success in the field of education, where much needs to be accomplished, would be impossible without the generous support of our partner organizations like Citi. Citi has always been at the forefront of community development and this is just one of the many programs we are running with their support"
Rayomond Kotwal, Citi Pakistan Chief of Staff said, "We understand the integral role NGOs like TCF play and are proud to be able to provide resources to help these children get a shot at a solid education."
Citi Pakistan is also planning an educational field trip for 240 children of TCF's "Sumar Goth" campus at the PAF Museum on November 17. Seventy-five Citi employees have gotten together to arrange this as part of Citi's second annual Global Community Day. More than 400 employees will volunteer at four different events planned on the same date in Karachi and Lahore to mark Citi's commitment to the community it is a part of.
The Citi Foundation's grants are awarded primarily in three areas: Financial Education, Educating the Next Generation, and Building Communities. In 2006 through the "Educating the Next Generation" category, the Citi Foundation awarded US$24 million in 48 countries empowering young people to achieve great results and investing in innovative teaching techniques around the world.
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Citi
Citi, the leading global financial services company, has some 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 100 countries, providing consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, and wealth management. Citi's major brands include Citibank, CitiFinancial, Primerica, Smith Barney and Banamex. Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com or www.citi.com.
Citi Foundation
The Citi Foundation supports organizations that help people improve their lives, businesses to grow, and communities to prosper around the world. The Citi Foundation focuses its grants primarily in three areas: financial education, educating the next generation, and building communities and entrepreneurs. Additional information can be found at http://www.citigroupfoundation.com/.
TCF
The Citizen's Foundation is a very credible, highly recognized organization that has been working towards bridging the gap in education for the past 11 years and has a successful record of impacting neglected, low income unplanned settlements through its network of 400 school units across the country. For more information please visit www.thecitizensfoundation.org.
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