Sampoerna chosen to help Acehnese

JAKARTA: The Sampoerna Foundation has been chosen by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank Group, to distribute US$200,000 (Rp 1.9 billion) for the education sector in Aceh.

IFC Country Manager German Vegarra said on Tuesday that the grant was provided as an expression of the concern by IFC member countries about the impact of the recent natural disaster and to contribute to recovery in Aceh.

"A solid foundation in education helps young people achieve their potential. The children of Aceh must be able to get back to their studies in proper schools as soon as possible," Vegarra said.

Elan Merdy, chief operating officer for Sampoerna Foundation said, "We will live up to this confidence by implementing a quality program. We will also ensure transparency in administering the grant so that the people of Indonesia can see how the funds are being used." --JP