Purchases of leading brands will help raise SR 1 million
for Special Olympics
Procter & Gamble Gulf will raise SR 1 million (1 million Saudi Riyals or approximately US$266,600) for Special Olympics Middle East/North Africa from sales of its leading brands. The funds raised by the month-long Create Heroes campaign will help support the organization’s work to provide year-round sports training and competition opportunities for children and adults with intellectual disabilities in the region.
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During the Create Heroes Campaign, sales of leading Procter & Gamble brands will benefit Special Olympics Middle East/North Africa athletes. |
"Procter & Gamble Gulf is committed to helping the community and we will use our reach to millions of consumers to maximize contributions to important causes in society," said Al Rajwani, Vice President, Procter & Gamble Gulf. "The Create Heroes campaign with Special Olympics is a social program designed to help fulfill the dreams of people with intellectual disabilities."
The Create Heroes campaign will be held from 20 October to 20 November in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Oman; from 1 November to 1 December in Kuwait and Qatar; and from 10 November to 10 December in Bahrain. Shoppers at participating supermarkets will have the opportunity to help improve the lives of more than 100,000 individuals with intellectual disabilities in the Middle East/North Africa region.
“Special Olympics is dedicated to empowering individuals with intellectual disabilities,” said Eng. Ayman Aly A. Wahab, Special Olympics Middle East/North Africa Managing Director. “Our goal is to reach 110,000 athletes in the region by the end of 2005. To do this we require resources such as coaches, volunteers, facilities and, most importantly, financial support from both the business community and individuals. The Create Heroes campaign aims to help us reach this goal and, in doing so, helps to create heroes out of each and every athlete through continuously providing them with opportunities to develop physical fitness, build self-esteem and become socially productive, respected members of their society.”
Shoppers can participate by buying Head & Shoulders, Pantene, Herbal Essences, Pert Plus or Silvikrin shampoos, Ariel, Tide, Bonux, Downy or Fairy home care products, Old Spice cologne, VIVA, Koleston Kit, Koleston 2000, Miss Clairol, Wellaflex or New Wave hair care, Olay, Crest or Always personal care products, Camay or Zest soap, Pampers diapers and Pringles potato chips which together have a goal of raising SR 1 million to help Create Heroes.
“So long as Special Olympics is supporting us, we can fulfill all our dreams, no matter how impossible these dreams might seem at the beginning,” said Dina Galal, Special Olympics Middle East/North Africa Global Messenger.
Galal first participated in Special Olympics in 1995 and was chosen as a Special Olympics Middle East/North Africa Global Messenger in 2003 for a two-year period. As a result of training she received through various Special Olympics Athlete Leadership Programs initiatives, Galal was recently appointed an assistant to the Initiatives Manager at the Middle East/North Africa regional office in Egypt.
The funds raised from the Create Heroes campaign will be used to recruit more athletes, provide specialized training for coaches, hold health screenings throughout the region and educate athletes’ families and the general public about Special Olympics, in particular the needs of individuals with intellectual disabilities.
For more than 37 years, Special Olympics has helped millions of people with intellectual disabilities across the region and around the world display sportsmanship in a spirit of empowerment and dignity. At the same time, these efforts help change negative attitudes and misperceptions about people with intellectual disabilities, replacing stigma and rejection with an emphasis on potential, ability and acceptance.
Procter & Gamble has been a strong global partner with Special Olympics for the past 25 years. This partnership demonstrates Procter & Gamble’s commitment and loyalty in supporting a cause that strives to improve the lives of people with intellectual disabilities around the world.
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