The GE Foundation, the philanthropic organization of the General Electric Company, has allocated a grant to launch a National Training Center in Moscow to teach orphanage staff in training Russian orphans independent living and social adaptation skills.
The primary objective of the program financed by GE Foundation and carried out by the MiraMed Institute (a Moscow-based U.S. public charity) is to implement a national program to educate orphans in self-sufficiency skills that they need to successfully transition from orphanage life to the existing environment.
Robert Aronson, Director of Programs at the MiraMed Institute, said that "the GE Foundation's grant will be used to equip newly-trained orphanage staff with proven curriculum materials developed over the years. The funding will be sufficient to train 50 staff from 25 orphanages in 2004, which will impact the total of 2,500 children. We will supervise the trainees through quarterly on site visits and bring them together annually for group training. As the project develops, a similar center could be opened in St. Petersburg," - Robert Aronson concluded.
Ron Pollett, GE National Executive in Russia and CIS, on this grant: "We believe that this joint initiative of the MiraMed Institute and the GE Foundation is a great opportunity to help children develop vitally important skills and assist in achieving self-sufficiency. We hope that this program will make their future brighter and happier in many ways."
About GE Social Activities
The GE Foundation, the philanthropic organization of the General Electric Company, marked its 50th anniversary in 2003 and continues its track record of investing in targeted, innovative programs in GE communities around the world. Another GE organization of high social responsibility record is GE Elfun Society, which is a global organization of GE volunteers. For 75 years, it has been uniting GE employees and retirees committed to improving communities, and people's lives through volunteerism, leadership, and camaraderie. One of the GE Elfun's primary goals is to promote education, especially for people in under-served areas. Today, GE Elfun has more than 52,200 members worldwide.
About GE
GE (NYSE: GE) is a diversified technology, media and financial services company dedicated to creating products that make life better. From aircraft engines and power generation to financial services, medical imaging, television programming and plastics, GE operates in more than100 countries and employs more than 300,000 people worldwide. For more information, visit the company's Web site at http://www.ge.com.
About MiraMed Institute
A federally registered U.S. international public charity founded in 1991. Federally registered non-governmental charitable organization in the Russian Federation. MiraMed has special Consultative Status with ECOSOC Council of the United Nations.
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