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CJ, together with UNESCO, to help with education for ethnic minorities in Vietnam; We are ABLE phase 2 has been launched

▶ On the 28th, CJ declared the launch of “We are ABLE Phase 2: Achieving Better Living and Education,” phase 2 of a project dedicated to the education of Vietnamese girls, in Hanoi, Vietnam. From the left: Chief of UNESCO’s Education for Inclusion and Gender Equality Section Justine Sass, deputy director of the Ethnic Policy Department under the Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs Be Thi Hong Van, director of the Teacher and Education Administrator Bureau under the Ministry of Education and Training Vu Minh Duc and director of CJ CheilJedang's Social Contribution Committee Min Hee-kyung (second from the right) with other key officials.

A global social contribution activity to expand access to education for ethnic minorities in Vietnam and to increase employment opportunities for women, the project will provide monetary support worth $250,000 over 2 years

CJ, headed by Chairman Lee Jay-hyun, has come forward to support the dreams of minority girls in Vietnam as their reliable sponsor.

On the 29th, CJ announced that it had launched “We are ABLE Phase 2: Achieving Better Living and Education” for Vietnamese minorities, who are marginalized in terms of access to quality education. This project is a global social contribution activity that was started by CJ in 2019 to increase access to education for minorities in Vietnam and expand employment opportunities for women.

Phase 2 of the project takes the form of a community awareness-raising program that emphasizes the necessity of education as well as the need for increasing the self-confidence of students in Ninh Thuan, Cao Bang and Kon Tum Provinces and for the improvement of the professional capabilities of teachers and teaching staff in the same provinces. Of the funds raised through a CJ-UNESCO girls’ education campaign, 250,000 USD (approx. 300 million KRW) will be used for the program, and CJ's aim is to induce the establishment of a specific action plan and agreement for each school by conducting a national-level campaign targeting Vietnam's education policy managers and policy makers.

An opening ceremony was held in Hanoi, with the attendance of officials from CJ, UNESCO, Vietnam's Ministry of Education, the Vietnam Ethnic Committee, etc.

The launch ceremony for “We are ABLE Phase 2: Achieving Better Living and Education,” held in Hanoi, including director of CJ CheilJedang's Social Contribution Committee Min Hee-kyung, head of the Vietnamese branch of UNESCO Christian Manhart, chief of UNESCO’s Education for Inclusion and Gender Equality Section Justine Sass, director of the Teacher and Education Administrator Bureau under the Ministry of Education and Training Vu Minh Duc, and deputy director of the Ethnic Policy Department under the Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs Be Thi Hong Van. Musician Isaac Hong, who was selected by CJ Culture Foundation's indie musician support project TUNE UP (22nd installment) and popular Vietnamese musician Phuong My Chi gave performances for the local Vietnamese residents and members of Millennials and Gen Z to raise public interest in the project as an act of support.

Phase 1 of the project increased the enrollment rate by about 10%p, with 98.5% of participating students saying it helped with their studies

Phase 1 of the project, which was run for three years starting in 2019, is highly regarded for its contributions to creating a healthy educational environment and improving awareness of women's education in Vietnam. In particular, its educational programs have spread throughout Vietnam. In recognition of such achievements and contributions, CJ received certificates of appreciation from the Vietnam Teacher and Ethnic Policy Department under the Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs, and UNESCO Headquarters at the launching ceremony the previous day.

In fact, through Phase 1 of the project, the middle school entrance rate for Vietnamese minority students increased by about 8%p, with the high school entrance rate improved by at least about 10%p or more. According to an education satisfaction survey conducted on students who participated in Phase 1 of the project, 98.5% of respondents said that the project was helpful in improving their communication knowledge and technical competency.

“The reason Phase 1 of the project was able to be carried out successfully despite the COVID-19 situation was the passionate and devoted participation of all involved, including the students, teachers and parents as well as the local community and the Ministry of Education of Vietnam,” said Min Hee-kyung, director of CJ CheilJedang's Social Contribution Committee. "We will provide unstinting support for this new installment of our girls' education project based on CJ's philosophy of sharing so that more Vietnamese children can receive an education without discrimination and grow into talented individuals who will lead Vietnam's future.”

Be Thi Hong Van, deputy director of the Ethnic Policy Department under the Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs, said, “’We are ABLE Phase: Achieving Better Living and Education’ is the first step towards building an ecosystem that supports the expansion of education and employment opportunities for women and girls of ethnic minorities. The project has proved to be a great help to Vietnam's national movement for the socio-economic development of the minority and mountain areas.”

Besides “’We are ABLE Phase: Achieving Better Living and Education,” CJ has also been working to carry out education campaigns for girls across the globe to improve the quality of life primarily in developing countries, in tandem with UNESCO with whom the company has been in a strategic partnership since 2014. CJ's various subsidiaries such as CJ ENM, CJ Olive Young, CJ CheilJedang, and CJ OliveNetworks have also been participating in the cause. In particular, CJ ENM is actively promoting the necessity of girls’ education to the world through its globally beloved K-culture festivals, KCON and MAMA. CJ Olive Young, on the other hand, is taking the lead in campaigns to improve the educational environment for girls by such means as a live broadcast commemorating International Day of the Girl Child and donating proceeds from sales made through ethical consumption.