The CMA CGM Foundation launches its first major operation in Africa: Containers of Hope

The CMA CGM Corporate Foundation takes action for Africa with the launch of its first major humanitarian transport operation, alongside Action contre la Faim and Médecins Sans Frontières.

Aware of the humanitarian and social challenges facing many African countries, the CMA CGM Corporate Foundation has decided in 2012 to put CMA CGM’s expertise at the service of these two big French NGOs (non-governmental organizations), Action contre la Faim (ACF) / Action Against Hunger and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) / Doctors Without Borders.

For a year, as part of the Containers of Hope (Conteneurs d’Espoir) operation, the CMA CGM Group, which has a strong presence in Africa*, will carry a hundred 20-foot containers mainly from France and destined for programs run by these two NGOs in countries like Somalia, the Central African Republic, Liberia and Congo-Brazzaville.

In total, nearly 1,000 tons of humanitarian aid – in particular food, nutritional supplements, medicine, and sanitation & hygiene equipment – will be sent to fight child malnutrition, provide access to water and meet basic needs of the most vulnerable in areas of conflict, or where sanitation and humanitarian risks are high.

The next sailing is from the port of Le Havre on 25 October 2012. The CMA CGM Isolde will be carrying a container of hydraulic equipment for ACF projects in the Central African Republic where the goal is to dig wells, build latrines and treat water for some 5,500 people in the Bimbo region.

A ceremony on 25 October, attended by Mrs Naïla Saadé, President of the CMA CGM Foundation, François Danel, Managing Director of ACF and Filipe Ribeiro, Managing Director of MSF, will officially launch the Containers of Hope operation.

* CMA CGM has more than 70 agencies in 37 African countries.