AsianScientist (Feb. 7, 2012) – The Asia Foundation will partner with logistics company Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) on the Foundation’s Books for Asia program, which provides textbooks and educational materials to students in need in 18 developing countries throughout Asia.
Books for Asia has distributed over 46 million books, software programs, and other education material to a wide range of learning institutions since 1954, and impacts nine million lives in Asia each year.
Support from OOCL means that transportation costs will be underwritten for the distribution of an estimated 402,000 books valued at US$18.4 million to Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam in 2012 and 2013.
Notably, it will allow the Foundation to distribute a significant number of English-language books – often unavailable or prohibitively expensive – to deserving students, educators, and future leaders in Asia.
“We are thrilled to partner with Books for Asia and advance our social responsibility values,” said Andy Tung, OOCL Chief Operating Officer.
“OOCL has a long tradition of commitment to education, beginning with our founder, the late Mr. C.Y. Tung, who liked to say that ships can be used for carrying ideas as well as cargo. We honor and respect his legacy, and are proud today to support a well-established, transformative program like Books for Asia,” he said.
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Source: The Asia Foundation. Photo: Anne Luntungan/The Asia Foundation.
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