Air Pacific Partners With FRIEND To Provide Scholarships

23/03/12

Air Pacific Partners With FRIEND To Provide Scholarships To Students

Tuvu, Lautoka, Fiji Islands. Fiji’s national carrier, Air Pacific under its auspices of Wings of Hope program has generously contributed toward FRIEND’s SAHARA educational assistance program, donating seventy thousand dollars, taking the total financial contribution towards the project this year to one hundred thousand dollars.

Last month, Air Pacific’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Dave Pflieger handed a cheque of thirty thousand dollars to FRIEND Founder and Director Sashi Kiran for its educational program.

FRIEND management was pleasantly surprised when the airline offered additional $70,000 towards the scholarship scheme. This morning the CEO and his team visited FRIEND to handover the additional cheque in the presence of school head teachers from neighbouring beneficiary schools. FRIEND expressed its sincere most gratitude to Air Pacific Limited for their concern and care shown towards the children of Fiji through its Wings of Hope program.

“The additional donation of $70,000 by the airline shows confidence in the accountability and credibility of FRIEND which exists to serve the underserved, assisting them step out of poverty,” said Kiran.

“Since the beginning of this year our outreach teams have seen desperation among families seeking support toward education of their children after the devastation caused by the floods.

“The initial $30,000 has supported children go back to school relieving their parents and guardians from a heavy burden. This enormous gesture would assist many more children around the country including the Northern Division to benefit from our scholarship program.

“On behalf of the children of Fiji a big vinaka vakalevu to the visitors to our shores for contributing their change to the children of Fiji and a huge dhanyvaad to the Air Pacific management for having faith in FRIEND and donating the amount through FRIEND to the children of Fiji.

“We look forward to an ongoing partnership between Air Pacific and the SAHARA scholarship in years to come to support the education of our future leaders,” Kiran added.

At the cheque presentation ceremony at FRIEND Head Office, Air Pacific Managing Director and CEO Dave Pflieger commended the NGO for its outstanding work in the community.

“That’s why we’re making an additional donation to FRIEND to continue its scholarship programs for children from flood-affected communities and those who need it the most,” he told staff and the board of FRIEND, and representatives of Raviravi Sangam and Drasa Secondary schools.

“As we said last month, it’s an honour and a privilege for the employees of Air Pacific to be able to assist in such a cause. I must thank Air Pacific staff and airline customers for their contributions to the Wings of Hope charity chest. It really is the compassion and generosity of our customers that has made this contribution possible.”

The Air Pacific team accompanied by FRIEND treasurer and board member Philip Gock also toured both Raviravi Sangam and Drasa Secondary Schools.

Background: This donation has been made under the auspices of Wings of Hope. This is the charity arm of Air Pacific, and funded through various means, including staff fundraising initiatives, corporate contributions and ‘Cash for Kids’ – a program that allows the Air Pacific’s passengers to contribute unused foreign currency on our flights. It is focused primarily on assisting the children of Fiji through various forms of assistance.

ENDS

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