Procter & Gamble Gulf (P&G) organized a ‘Create Heroes’ blitz across popular parks in Dubai to give families a unique chance to touch the lives of Special Olympics athletes participating in the 5th Regional Middle East North Africa (MENA) games. The games are being staged for the first time in Dubai from November 11th – 15th, 2006.
“P&G has been a strong global supporter of Special Olympics for the past 25 years,” said Ayman Wahab, Managing Director of Special Olympics MENA. “The Create Heroes Blitz is one of many activities that P&G has organised in a bid to raise awareness of Special Olympics and the Regional MENA Games. Not only are Procter & Gamble donating SR1.2 million to Special Olympics MENA through their ‘Create Heroes’ campaign, they are investing time and money in raising awareness of efforts behind this year’s MENA games, including how to donate and help advance this commendable cause.”
P&G Gulf’s ‘Create Heroes’ campaign has called upon families throughout Dubai and the GCC to donate and become actively involved in a cause that has changed the lives of millions who live with intellectual disabilities.
The ’Create Heroes’ fundraising initiative is part of a giant commitment by Procter & Gamble Gulf which will see the company donate SR1.2 million to Special Olympics from sales of many of its leading products including: Tide, Ariel, Fairy, Head & Shoulders, Pert Plus, Herbal Essences, Pampers, Olay, Gillette and Braun. A purchase of some of the most basic necessities will now result in a significant donation to a worthy cause.
“Procter & Gamble is a partner of Special Olympics and the MENA games. Activities such as the Create Heroes blitz are creative and fun ways of reaching families and educating them about the ‘Create Heroes’ fundraising initiative,” said Ahmed Linjawy, P&G External Relations Associate Director. “Supporting ‘Create Heroes’ helps provide intellectually disabled children and adults in the Arab world with opportunities to develop their physical fitness, build self esteem and become productive members of society. These are more than just athletic events; they are moments in the lives of everyone involved that no one will forget.”
The funds raised will be used to provide specialized training for the athletes and their coaches, improve and source sports training facilities and hold health screenings throughout the region, all of which are crucial to making the MENA games a success.
For over 37 years Special Olympics has changed lives by promoting understanding and acceptance between people with and without intellectual disabilities. These efforts have helped to change negative attitudes and misperceptions about people with intellectual disabilities, replacing stigma and rejection with respect and acceptance.
This long standing global partnership with Special Olympics demonstrates Procter & Gamble’s commitment and loyalty in supporting a cause that strives to improve the lives of people with intellectual disabilities around the world.
About P&G Gulf
Three billion times a day, P&G brands touch the lives of people around the world. The company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Pampers(R), Tide(R), Ariel(R), Always(R), Pantene(R), Mach3(R), Pringles(R), Downy(R), Crest(R), Oral-B(R),Olay(R), Head & Shoulders(R), Wella, Gillette(R), and Braun. The P&G community consists of almost 140,000 employees working in over 80 countries worldwide. The company is a pioneer in the Middle East region. It built one of the first consumer goods manufacturing plants in Saudi Arabia (the Tide plant) in 1961 and currently operates three manufacturing sites with 1000 employees in Jeddah, Dammam and Dubai. The company is very active in helping the local communities and last year its total contributions to various social programs have exceeded 11 million Saudi riyals.
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