Page 14 - Sphere No.11 (Apr 2004)

SPHERE
12
C O M M U N I T Y
good cheer to the elderly and orphans.
In South Korea, the staff of Hutchison
Korea Terminals (HKT) formed a volunteer
group and donated their spare time to ren-
ovate a welfare centre for the elderly in
Busan. In 2002, management and staff came
to the rescue of a doomed fruit orchard
struck by flooding.
In Pakistan, Karachi International
Container Terminal (KICT) has supported
the SOS Children’s Village by organising a
painting competition for orphans.
DEVELOPING A RICH LEGACY
Panama Ports Company (PPC) is justifiably
proud of its annual scholarship programme
for the brightest and most promising chil-
dren of its 700-plus employees. Launched in
1998, the 50 scholarships are divided among
elementary and high school students — and
are the stepping-stone to a lifetime career
with one of Panama’s biggest and most
popular employers.
Says PPC General Manager, Alejandro
Kouruklis: “Charity begins at home and it
gladdens my heart that we provide help for
deserving children of our employees.” PPC
also came to the rescue of the country’s
cash-strapped young footballers, paying for
their tickets to contest theWorldYouth Cup
in Dubai. The port is also a major sponsor
of the country’s annual 36-hour Telethon
fundraiser for special-needs children.
Since it opened in 1997, Freeport
Container Port (FCP) has joined forces
with the Grand Bahama Port Authority and
Group Companies to award more than 300
scholarships to promising youngsters. The
initiative is contributing to studies that will
ultimately prove most beneficial to Grand
Bahama. Areas of sponsored study have
included aviation management, banking,
accounting, engineering, IT, nursing, culi-
nary arts and architecture. FCP and its part-
ners also donate to local schools, churches,
sporting groups and individuals in need of
medical help or disaster relief.
Ensenada International Terminal (EIT)
in Mexico strengthens its links with the
community by providing practical work
experience to local university students,
some of whom join the company as full-
time employees. Staff at Ensenada
Cruiseport Village (ECV) meanwhile sup-
port several local orphanages with food,
medical help and counselling.
PARTNERING WITH THE P EOPLE
Every little bit helps, and Harwich
International Port (HWH) was delighted
to support Harwich School’s campaign to
be officially designated a Language
College. Under the UK’s “Specialist
Schools Programme”, the status entitled
The Harwich School to government grants
totalling £100,000 (approximately
US$180,000) over nine years. To be eligi-
ble, the school had to find its own sponsor-
ship to the value of £50,000 and HWH
had no hesitation kick-starting the fund-
raising drive, pledging £2,000 a year for
three years. Donations from other sponsors
enabled The Harwich School to reach its
“We seek to
ensure that
tomorrow’s citizens
of our port regions
are better
equipped to deal
with the world”