"Improving education for children in Jammu & Kashmir"

RECKITT BENCKISER partners with SAVE THE CHILDREN 2nd edition of the Global Challenge - Trek announced.

Reckitt Benckiser global leader in household, health and personal care products today announced a 3-year partnership with Save the Children to support its program in the state of Jammu and Kashmir called Improving education for children in Jammu & Kashmir. To raise funds for this program, Reckitt Benckiser is undertaking the second edition of its Global Challenge (trek). Employees from across the global offices of Reckitt Benckiser will participate in this fund raising trek, which is scheduled to take place in Ladakh region of India from 2nd to 6th June 2009. Additionally, trekkers will be staying on for 2 days in Leh (Ladakh) and will spend time with the children from Save the Children programme by playing, teaching, painting and interacting with them.

Fifty percent of the funds generated from this trek will be used to support educational projects undertaken by Save the Children (STC) in the Jammu and Kashmir. Reckitt Benckiser (RB) would be contributing towards ensuring better education to the underprivileged children and help them build better lives. The remaining fifty percent will be deployed towards projects in Angola and Tanzania jointly undertaken by RB and Save the Children.

The first ‘Global Challenge’ (trek) was launched in 2006 with a mission to raise minimum of £100,000 for Save the Children’s “Save 100,000 Lives” programme. In 2007, over 55 RB employees from 21 countries took part in the first edition of the Global Challenge Trek. In total the employees raised £ 180,000 from this trek in.  Around £59,000 raised in 2007 were utilized to support the Child Domestic Workers programme in West Bengal for Save the Children. This initiative helped to change the lives of 780 children trapped in unskilled domestic work in the state.

Mr. Chander Mohan Sethi, Chairman and Managing Director, Reckitt Benckiser (India) Ltd, “It gives me immense pleasure to announce the second edition of our corporate initiative – The Global Challenge. We are overwhelmed with the efforts put in by our employees from across the globe to make this initiative a grand success. Without their support, this colossal challenge would not have been possible.”

Globally Reckitt Benckiser has been working with Save the Children since 2003, and has been actively participating in various fund raisers to lend support to various projects undertaken by them.  The relationship provides the opportunity for Reckitt Benckiser operations and its employees worldwide in achieving together the common goal of making a difference to the lives of children.

About Reckitt Benckiser
Reckitt Benckiser (India) Limited, is one of the fastest growing consumer goods companies in South Asia. It has many high quality brands which are trusted by the consumers. As seen across segments, Reckitt Benckiser brands are either number 1 or 2 in market share, in all the segments it is present in. Its brands include - Dettol, Harpic, Mortein, Lizol, Cherry Blossom, Vanish, Easy Off Bang, Veet, Colin, Disprin, Strepsils, Clearasil and others. It has major presence in home and personal care, surface care, fabric care, pest control and healthcare. The Company has operations in 60 countries, sales in over 180 and employs 23,000 people around the world. Globally Reckitt Benckiser plc is headquartered in Slough just outside London, UK and is listed in the top 15 on the London Stock Exchange. For more information visit: www.reckittbenckiser.com

About Save the Children
Save the Children is the world’s largest independent organisation that works for children's rights and delivers immediate and lasting improvement to children's lives worldwide. Save the Children was founded in 1919 by Eglantyne Jebb, as a response to the condition in Europe immediately following the First World War. Eglantyne Jebb had drafted the Geneva Declaration of the Rights of the Child, which was adopted by the League of Nations. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, adopted by the United Nations in 1989 and now ratified by nearly all countries worldwide, has its roots in her pioneering work. Save the Children a federation of 27 members with similar vision, mission, and values for children, works in more than 124 countries to form a truly international movement for children.

Save the Children India: Save the Children has existed in India since the pre-Independence days. Save the Children, Indiais the 27th independent member of the International Save the Children Alliance. The organisation works on education, health, protection and responds to natural emergencies in 11 States and union territories and has made a positive difference to the lives of 3 million children across India.