On 18 March 2021, Prudential’s Group Chief Executive Mike Wells participated in the launch ceremony of the China Child Development Fund (the Fund), which was held in Beijing, China, and broadcast virtually to guests of honour from contributing companies across the world.
The ceremony was hosted by the China Development Research Foundation (CDRF), a public foundation led by the Development Research Center of the State Council of China.
The Fund will be used to support child development in rural areas in China, and will include research on children’s health and education to advocate policy reforms and help promote social equality, sustainability and prosperity in the country.
Ten companies, including foreign organisations such as Prudential, as well as local corporations contributed to this Fund.
In his speech, Mike reinforced Prudential’s commitment to help individuals, families and communities in China live secure and healthy lives. “Prudential is pleased to join with other distinguished companies and the CDRF to jointly launch the China Child Development Fund. There is no more critical time in the building of a healthy, purposeful life than the early years of childhood. We hope this research will be of value both in China and internationally, as many countries still face the challenges of poverty and providing health, nutrition, and education,” said Mike.
Prudential contributed a total of RMB15 million, funded by Prudential Corporation Asia and Prudence Foundation, the community investment arm of Prudential in Asia and Africa. The contribution is in line with Prudence Foundation’s key focus areas of education, health and safety. For almost a decade, Prudence Foundation has supported programmes across Asia and Africa to help young children develop essential literacy skills and prepare them for school and life.
In China, Prudence Foundation has supported two anti-poverty child development initiatives, namely “School Nutrition” and “China REACH”, since 2018. These programmes aim to enhance children’s nutrition, as well as promote the impact of early childhood development on lifelong learning and wellness to families in poor areas of China. The programmes have reached over 120 schools and conducted more than 26,000 home visits to date.