Alan Jope (left), president of Unilever North Asia, and Rodrigo Ferrari (central), director China Washing & Cosmetic Brands of Unilever, donate 990,000 yuan-worth of VANCLE brand clothing to Gu Lan, director of the Partnership Center of China Youth Development Foundation, on January 13, 2012. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

SHANGHAI – OMO, a well-known global washing detergent brand from Unilever, donated 990,000 yuan-worth of VANCLE brand clothing to China Youth Development Foundation (CYDF) on January 13, 2012 to benefit pupils at Project Hope primary schools.

Gu Lan, director of CYDF Partnership Center, said the new winter clothes are being sent to the schools in provinces of Anhui, Shandong, Shaanxi, Sichuan and Yunnan together with 16,000 pieces of old but clean clothing donated by pupils from 30 primary schools in Shanghai, Nanjing of Jiangsu province and Hangzhou of Zhejiang province.

Unilever brand OMO, together with CYDF, launched a charity campaign on December 15, 2011 to collect money and clothing for Hope school pupils.

The campaign themed “send love, welcome new” called on urban children to donate their winter clothes to pupils at Hope schools at the welcoming of the Chinese New Year.

“Through this activity, urban kids are able to understand the significance of showing care to other children who are in need,” said Alan Jope, president of Unilever North Asia.

Meanwhile, Jope said, OMO also offered consumers the chance to participate in this activity, that is, for every washing detergent product given free of charge to customers, one yuan is donated to the charity to purchase winter clothes.

As of January 13, OMO had collected 990,000 yuan to purchase new, cotton-padded VANCLE clothing for 9,900 Hope School pupils, which will be delivered to them before the Spring Festival which will fall on January 23.

“We want to benefit the community by making such charity efforts and hope that more people will take part in charity activities in the future,” he said.