The CMA CGM Corporate Foundation for Children renews its humanitarian transport operation to Africa

On the occasion of the African Children Day on June 16, the CMA CGM Corporate Foundation for Children announces the extension of the Containers of Hope operation and signs a partnership with three NGOs

Attentive to the humanitarian and social issues that affect many countries in the African continent, the Foundation decided to put the know-how and expertise of CMA CGM, world’s third largest container shipping group, at the service of major French NGOs. It launched in 2012 a large humanitarian transport operation to Africa, Containers of Hope, which allowed to carry so far, 170 containers representing 1,340 tons of equipment destined for Africa.

The Containers of Hope operation allows free shipping of containers containing humanitarian material and equipment, on the lines and ships of the CMA CGM Group. The Foundation counts on the positioning of the Group in 43 African countries, through 72 agencies and 48 ports of call, and on the presence of NGOs amongst the most vulnerable populations.

In response to the needs expressed by its partners, the CMA CGM Corporate Foundation renews this initiative with Doctors without Borders and Action Against Hunger and expands the operation to other continents. Furthermore, a new partnership was signed with Handicap International for underprivileged children.

“Children are the first victims of malnutrition and the most sensitive to the lack of care. For many years, we have been supporting associations who act towards underprivileged children. With the Containers of Hope operation, we wanted to go further by giving our support to NGOs working in Africa; today we will reinforce the existing actions and extend our activities to other continents”, declares Naïla Saadé, President of the CMA CGM Foundation for children.

“Logistics and transportation of material and equipment represent on average 20% of the costs of a humanitarian program. To be able to benefit from free shipping for our humanitarian material is a tremendous support”, adds Jean-Marc Boivin, General Manager of Handicap International France.

Since 2012, the Containers of Hope operation helped a dozen African countries through nutritional or health programs implemented by Doctors Without Borders and Action Against Hunger:

• Fight against child malnutrition in Mali, Niger, Central African Republic, Chad and Somalia;
• Mother and child health program in Southern Sudan and Ivory Coast;
• Assistance to the victims of conflicts in the Republic of Central Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo;
• Support to hospitals in Congo-Brazzaville;
• Water sanitation program in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Liberia;
• Fight against malaria in Mali;
• Fight against HIV and tuberculosis in Malawi;
• Educational support in Madagascar.

Conducted by the Corporate Foundation, the Containers of Hope operation is made possible by the mobilization of several dozens of staff members of the Group, from the Head Office in Marseille, to local CMA CGM agencies, to all of the crews on the lines and ships of the Group.

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• CMA CGM Corporate Foundation
• Handicap International
• Doctors Without Borders
• Action Against Hunger

Creation date: 2005

Chaired by: Naïla Saadé

Area of expertise: social and humanitarian sponsorship - Acting for the well-being of children, especially for children with disabilities, with long diseases or from underprivileged backgrounds.

Initial allocation: EUR 5 million

Supported associations: more than 120 projects in France (PACA region) and Lebanon through a call for proposals and annual awards

Operation 'Containers of Hope": 170 containers representing 1 340 tons of humanitarian material transported free of charge since 2012 on the CMA CGM shipping lines, destined for the humanitarian programs of Doctors Without Borders, Action Against Hunger and Handicap International.

More information on foundation.

Handicap International is an independent and impartial organization of international solidarity, which intervenes in situations of poverty and exclusion, conflicts and disasters for disabled and vulnerable populations.

The Containers of Hope operation will help deliver mobility and orthopedic equipment.

For the past forty years, the international humanitarian medical association Doctors Without Borders provides medical assistance to populations whose life or health is threatened: mainly in the case of armed conflicts but also epidemics, pandemics, natural disasters or exclusion from care.

In Africa, it conducts programs in 17 countries. The Containers of Hope operation has already enabled to ship 116 containers of medical and logistical equipment and nutritional products.

Action Against Hunger (ACF) was founded in 1979 with the aim of eradicating hunger in a comprehensive, sustainable and effective way in the world. Its mission is to save lives through the prevention, detection and treatment of malnutrition, especially during and after emergency and conflict situations.

The NGO is active in 23 countries on the African continent. The logistics support of the Containers of Hope operation has allowed to supply 530 tons of nutritional therapeutic products and sanitation equipment.