PricewaterhouseCoopers is marking the 10th anniversary of its establishment after the merger of Price Waterhouse and Coopers & Lybrand in 1998 with a unique joint project with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to raise funds to help build and operate schools for refugee children who have fled the conflict in Darfur.
Samuel A. DiPiazza, Jr., global CEO of PricewaterhouseCoopers, said, "We have achieved much in the last 10 years and when our network works together we are able to accomplish great things. It seems fitting that we mark this occasion by celebrating PwC at its best - and harnessing the power of PwC to make a meaningful difference."
Based on the recommendations of its Global Communities Board, PwC will partner with the UNHCR to raise funds to provide facilities and education on a sustainable basis at camps in Chad for refugee children from Darfur. PricewaterhouseCoopers leadership has committed to contributing $200.000 to the effort, called the Power of 10, and the global PwC organisation is seeking additional contributions from its partners and staff as well as friends and family, with the hope that its global organisation will far surpass that amount. Each of the firms in the PwC network has been asked to participate in the Power of 10 campaign and to seek donations from the 146.000 PwC employees in 150 countries around the world. The campaign will take place over 10 business days, from June 16 to June 27.
"The situation in Darfur is heartbreaking and the task facing relief organisations is overwhelming. By working with the UNHCR we can offer children the chance of a better life through education. We hope to make a substantial, long-term impact in an area of the world that desperately needs help," DiPiazza said.
The programme, which PricewaterhouseCoopers is calling "The Power of 10," was developed by the UNHCR with PwC and builds upon PwC's long-standing charitable focus on education. The money raised by PwC will be used by the United Nations to build schools, train teachers and provide supplies and education to some 20,000 refugee children between the ages of six and 14. The first phase will be completed within two years, and the project is planned to provide sustainable education to children for at least five years.
The level of support provided by the people and firms in the PwC network will determine the number of refugee camps the programme will serve and the number of children it will reach. The United Nations will oversee the programme and will provide ongoing progress reports. If conditions permit, PwC representatives will visit the camps, assess progress and provide assistance.
"The Power of 10 will help educate thousands of deserving Darfur refugee children. At the same time, PwC's contributions will give these children something more: A chance of a better future for themselves and their troubled region," said Antonio Guterres, High Commissioner for Refugees of the UNHCR.
Phidias Pilides, the CEO of PricewaterhouseCoopers Cyprus, said "We are joining forces with our global network in the "Power of 10" project to support the refugee children from Darfur. As a firm in Cyprus, we will participate with a donation of US$30.000. Some of our partners have already contributed to this project through Global programmes like the Ulysses Alumni. We have invited our people in Cyprus to also contribute individually to this project, and inform their family members and friends to participate, if they so wish. The response until now was extremely encouraging.
We have achieved a lot through these 10 years since the creation of PricewaterhouseCoopers. Each and every one of us in the organisation has contributed to build the working environment, the structure, the culture, skills and competencies, the trusting relationships with our clients and associates and gain the respect of our community.
1 July marks not only the formation of PwC but also celebrates a new effort of PwC worldwide. To share our values. A new effort of actively participating in our society.”
