Gucci-UNICEF partnership turns 10: Over 7.5 million children reap rewards

NEW YORK, June 2, 2015 – More than 7.5 million children in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia have gained improved access to quality education through a 10-year partnership between Gucci and UNICEF. To mark this milestone, today Gucci released Growing Tall, a short film directed by Brooklyn-based filmmaker and cinematographer Christina Voros that highlights the power of education to transform lives, especially for girls and women.

Growing Tall focuses on the personal experiences of children, teachers and parents in a rural community in Mozambique as they reflect on the progress made in education over the past decade. The number of children enrolled in primary schools in Mozambique increased from nearly 4 million in 2005 to 5.5 million in 2013. Worldwide, since 2000, 34 million more primary school-aged children have attended school than would have done so if earlier trends had continued. Despite this progress, some 58 million children of primary school age remain out of school, more than half of them are girls. And in sub-Saharan Africa, 1 in 5 children are out of school.

“Gucci is proud to celebrate a decade of partnership with UNICEF with US$20 million donated, benefiting more than 7.5 million children to date,” said Gucci President and CEO Marco Bizzarri. “We are especially grateful to all our clients and employees, who have played a fundamental role in the success of the partnership and helped to make it the most extensive philanthropic initiative in our company’s history. We look forward to continuing our commitment to UNICEF through the CHIME FOR CHANGE global girls’ and women’s empowerment campaign that Gucci founded in 2013.”

“UNICEF is grateful to Gucci and its employees for their commitment to improving children’s lives and futures through education,” said UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake. “Every child should have a fair chance in life. That begins with a fair chance to learn. Through our long and successful partnership, Gucci has helped provide that chance to so many children who might otherwise be excluded – and in doing so, provided them with the tools to build a better world for themselves and their communities.”   

During the past decade Gucci’s contribution to UNICEF’s work has focused on Schools for Africa, an initiative that expands access to quality education to girls, orphaned children and those living in extreme poverty. Through the partnership, Gucci has supported UNICEF’s efforts to increase primary school enrolment and influence national education policy by working with governments and partners in several countries including in Mozambique and Malawi.

Since 2005, Gucci’s support for education initiatives has helped UNICEF and its partners to:

• Train more than 8,700 teachers and educators, so that children receive a quality education and gain the skills and knowledge they need for their future
• Construct nearly 300 school classrooms, offering a safe and protective environment in which children can learn and play
• Supply 14,600 school desks, so children have a proper place to concentrate and learn
• Construct more than 1,800 water and sanitation facilities in schools, ensuring clean water for drinking and hygiene
• Work alongside governments to influence changes in education policy and advocate for improvements in the school curriculum.

​​​Gucci will continue its commitment to UNICEF through the CHIME FOR CHANGE campaign. CHIME FOR CHANGE co-founder Salma Hayek Pinault recently launched ‘CHIME for the Children of Syria’, a fundraising appeal to help UNICEF provide children and families affected by the Syria crisis with learning opportunities and support services. In April, Hayek Pinault visited Syrian refugees in Lebanon to draw attention to the urgent humanitarian needs of children and families whose lives have been upended by the conflict in Syria over the past four years. To learn more, visit www.crowdrise.com/chimeforthechildrenofSyria.

Growing Tall can be viewed at http://uni.cf/gucci  or youtube on.gucci.com/UNICEFfullversion or on.gucci.com/UNICEFshortversion

Photos from the premiere screening can be viewed (after 9pm EST) on: http://mm.gettyimages.com/mm/nicePath/gyipa_public?nav=pr281858241

About UNICEF

UNICEF promotes the rights and well-being of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere. For more information about UNICEF and its work visit: www.unicef.org

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook

About the Gucci-UNICEF partnership:

In 2005, Gucci launched a global partnership with UNICEF based on the belief that every child has the right to reach his or her fullest potential through a quality education, because education is a gift forever. Since the start of the partnership, Gucci has contributed more than US$20 million to UNICEF and benefitted more than 7.5 million children to date, making this the most extensive philanthropic partnership in Gucci’s history.  Gucci’s funding supports children’s education through activities focused on getting more children in school, ensuring they stay in school, and providing a quality education – with a special emphasis on girls/gender equality.  

About Gucci

Founded in Florence in 1921, Gucci is one of the world’s leading luxury fashion brands, with a renowned reputation for creativity, innovation and Italian craftsmanship. Gucci is part of the Kering Group, a world leader in apparel and accessories that owns a portfolio of powerful luxury and sport and lifestyle brands.

For further information about Gucci, visit www.gucci.com.

About CHIME FOR CHANGE

CHIME FOR CHANGE, founded by Gucci, is a global campaign to convene, unite and strengthen the voices speaking out for girls and women around the world, with a focus on using innovative approaches to raise funds and awareness for education, health and justice projects. Through the power of crowdfunding, CHIME FOR CHANGE has funded more than 400 projects in 86 countries through 144 non-profit partners, reaching hundreds of thousands of girls and women around the world.

CHIME FOR CHANGE co-Founders Salma Hayek Pinault and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter continue to lead the campaign with its coalition of partner organizations. Founding Partners include the Kering Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Facebook, Hearst Magazines and Catapult. Strategic Partners include P&G Prestige, Twitter and Kellogg’s Special K. The CHIME FOR CHANGE Advisory Board includes Hafsat Abiola, Muna AbuSulayman, Valerie Amos, Humaira Bachal, Jimmie Briggs, Gordon and Sarah Brown, Lydia Cacho, David Carey, Joanne Crewes, Minh Dang, Juliet de Baubigny, Waris Dirie, Carolyn Everson, Helene Gayle, Leymah Gbowee, Yasmeen Hassan, Hung Huang, Arianna Huffington, Musimbi Kanyoro, Alicia Keys, John Legend, Lee Young-Ae, Madonna, Pat Mitchell, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Alyse Nelson, Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy, Francois-Henri Pinault, Julia Roberts, Jill Sheffield, Alison Smale, Jada Pinkett Smith, Peter Soer, Caryl Stern, Meryl Streep, the Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Mpho Tutu, Monique Villa and Yang Lan. To stay informed, visit www.chimeforchange.org.

For more information, please contact:

Andrea Sioris, U.S. Fund for UNICEF, asioris@unicefusa.org

Darby Gaynor, Gucci, darby.gaynor@us.gucci.com

Camilla Orlandi, Gucci for CHIME FOR CHANGE, camilla.orlandi@it.gucci.com