Commit to Change
The world's local bank- USA – Higher education support for students
- France – HSBC Education Foundation
- Korea – Island Watch for a Future Generation
- Malaysia – Reading and Writing Programme
- UK – Thriftwood school
- New Zealand – The Gifted Kids Programme
- China – Rural teacher training course
- UK – Kielder Challenge
- Singapore – Youth Excellence Initiative
- Australia – HSBCkids
- UK and Korea – Outward Bound
- USA – Boys & Girls Clubs of America
- Global – Future First: Investing in our children
- UK – On-line mathematics
- South Africa – Disadvantaged schools
- Brazil – HSBC Solidarity Institute
- USA – Jumpstart
- Thailand – HSBC children's book
- UK – Tall Ships Youth Trust
- China and Hong Kong – Mainland/Hong Kong Exchange Programme in Special Education
- Malta and the UK – Eco-Schools
- UK – HSBC scholars
- India – Madhapur Mandal school
- UK – School governors
- Hong Kong, China, and Brazil – Zippy's Friends
- USA and UK – Teach for America/Teach First
- Canada – York University scholarship fund
- UK – Sailing Academies
- China – Soaring under the sun
- China – HSBC China Charity Federation Fund
Disadvantaged rural schools
In 2006, the HSBC Solidarity Institute invested in 10 projects which were designed to help rural schools. Historically, rural schools in Brazil have been a low priority for the government and operate under severe disadvantages. For example, nearly half the rural schools do not have electric lighting and very few have computer or science laboratories or even libraries. In addition, there are often significant discrepancies in the quality of teaching between rural and urban schools.
The 10 projects chosen in 2006, out of 148 submissions, covered a diverse geographic area and received nearly US$215,000 from the HSBC Solidarity Institute.
During 2007 the investment in these rural schools will focus on helping more teachers gain a professional qualification, including environmental projects in the academic curriculum and improving school buildings and facilities.
Examples of the projects in which we invested include:
- Generating entrepreneurship action - A community vegetable garden was installed at a rural school and used as a laboratory to instruct students, teachers and parents in new agricultural techniques.
- Learning in the yard - This project taught students and their families about environmentally-sustainable, and economically-viable, agricultural techniques.
- AgriSchool Bomtempo - This project enabled exchange amongst schools to facilitate the improvement of teacher training, involvement of the agricultural community in the curriculum of the school, and to instruct on traditional handicrafts and culture practices.
