ACCOR IN INDONESIA LAUNCHES ‘A TREE FOR A CHILD’ PROJECT

Project aims to alleviate child poverty and help protect the environment

Leading hotel group Accor is reinforcing its green initiatives with the launch of ‘A Tree for A Child’ project throughout Indonesia.

Accor Hotels network, one of the founding members of International Hotels Environment Initiatives (IHEI), is aiming to raise awareness among businesses and local communities in Indonesia regarding environmental and educational issues affecting poor children.

‘A Tree for A Child’ is a social and environmental programme aimed at alleviating child poverty and protecting the environment. The project will be launched country wide with the long-term objective to create a healthy, happy and friendly environment for underprivileged children to learn and grow.

Under the programme Accor will sponsor the planting of valuable, fast growing trees to raise funds to finance educational opportunities for poor children. Selling recycled items for Accor member hotels around Indonesia will raise additional funds.

Accor Deputy Chairman, Mr Jochen Dobel, said it was indeed fitting that Accor’s latest programme for Asia begins in Indonesia, a country of extreme strategic importance for the company.

“Accor has a total of 25 hotels around Indonesia, and we are extremely proud to take a leading role in protecting the country’s environment and providing educational opportunities for disadvantaged children.”

Director of Operations for Indonesia, Mr Gerard Guillouet, said healthy children and a clean environment were Indonesia’s most valuable assets for the future.

“We have designed our projects to focus on education and sustainable development. Education is the key to ensuring that the country maximizes its great human potential.

“This innovative concept, combining environmental protection and child education, gives a spiritual dimension to our business and shows the Accor commitment in playing a major role in the local community”, he added.

Mr Guillouet said Accor’s programme for Indonesia in 2001 includes:

- Creating an educational and health unit for 60 homeless children Jabotabek. Accor has selected the Jembatan Tiga area for the initial launch.

- Supporting the YAPITU orphanage in Yogyakarta

- Supporting the Siti Aisyah yayasan in Surabaya

- Accor Green Day – on periodic cleaning activity in public areas

Accor is the largest international hotel group operating in Indonesia, with 25 hotels and resorts throughout the country in Jakarta, Batam, Medan, Surabaya, Yogyakarta, Bogor, Bali, Jambi, Solo, Lombok, Bukittinggi, Toraja and Tanjung Lesung.