Gudensberg, Germany, 14 June 2018. United in their belief that ‘children’s educational opportunities should not depend on their parents’ income’, poultry producer Plukon and the German Children’s Fund (Deutschen Kinderhilfswerk) donated a combined 22 backpacks to Year 1 pupils from two primary schools located in the town of Gudensberg in the Northern Hesse region of Germany: Grundschule Gudensberg and the Odenbergschule. The initiative is targeted primarily at supporting children from disadvantaged backgrounds. The backpacks, which are filled with pencil cases, colour pencils, learning aids and a sports bag, are intended to prevent children from being left behind in their education early on in their school careers on account of their socioeconomic background.
In the presence of Sascha Ryffel, the Head of Social Affairs for the city of Gudensberg, Frank Grundl, manager of Plukon’s Gudensberg site, and Mirka Coban, branch supervisor for the German Children’s Fund (Deutschen Kinderhilfswerk), presented the backpacks to Christiane Borgolte, principal of the Grundschule Gudensberg primary school.
“We are aware that the first day of school is a milestone for every child, but we are also mindful that the numerous expenses at the start of the new term can create a significant financial strain for many families,” said the German Children’s Fund’s Mirka Coban. This means many children require even more support and assistance overall than their less disadvantaged peers. Plukon site manager Frank Grundl confirmed this, stating that: “Our company has been an important part of the Gudensberg community for many years. We’re a major employer in the city, with a workforce of over 400 people. Many of our employees have been with us for many years, have families of their own, and know the importance of giving children opportunities and the right start in life. We would like to emphasise that the entire Gudensberg workforce supports our backpack initiative. Needless to say, we will remain committed to the cause and will continue to support children through many other initiatives in the future, in conjunction with the German Children’s Fund.”
