PARTNERSHIP HISTORY

The global Gucci/UNICEF partnership began in 2005, when Gucci introduced the first annual Gucci Campaign to Benefit UNICEF. This global campaign, the most extensive philanthropic partnership in the company’s history, supports UNICEF programs for orphans and children affected by HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa, where over 12 million children have lost one or both parents to the disease. Specifically, Gucci’s efforts are dedicated to UNICEF programs that provide lifesaving health care, protection, clean water, and education to orphans and vulnerable children.

Each year, Gucci has intensified the company’s commitment to UNICEF and to saving and improving children’s lives by expanding the annual campaign and introducing significant new initiatives to support the partnership. On February 6, 2008, Gucci presented a major fundraising event in New York that raised 2.7 million USD for UNICEF. Collectively Gucci’s total commitment to UNICEF to date reaches over 7 million USD, and the company is currently one of UNICEF’s largest international corporate supporters.

2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
THE GUCCI CAMPAIGN TO BENEFIT UNICEF

Since 2005, Gucci Creative Director Frida Giannini has designed an exclusive accessories collection dedicated to the Gucci Campaign to Benefit UNICEF. The campaign takes place during the holiday season, the most benevolent time of the year, to achieve maximum sales for the benefit of UNICEF. Gucci stores worldwide and gucci.com donate a percentage of sales from a special group of products devoted to the UNICEF partnership. The Gucci campaign has consistently supported UNICEF programs in Malawi and Mozambique*, where over one million children have been orphaned by the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

In 2007, Frida Giannini created a special product to extend the company’s commitment to UNICEF throughout the year. The exclusive ‘Gucci for UNICEF’ bag was launched in November 2007 and was dedicated to UNICEF for one full year to increase its fundraising potential. The donation from this special edition bag will support critical treatment and prevention programs for children in Malawi and Mozambique*.

For the 2008 campaign, Gucci is pleased to announce the launch of the white TATTOO HEART COLLECTION, together with a landmark advertising campaign devoted to the UNICEF partnership. Award-winning musical artist Rihanna will star in an unprecedented international advertising campaign, which will feature key pieces from the TATTOO HEART COLLECTION to benefit UNICEF. Rihanna’s participation in the Gucci advertising campaign follows her special performance at the February 6th, 2008 benefit event in New York and marks her continued dedication to improving the lives of children worldwide.

This year Gucci will again donate 25 percent of sales from the dedicated collection in Gucci stores in over 20 countries, beginning November 19, 2008 through January 31, 2009. This is one month longer than the previous years of the campaign, increasing the fundraising potential and overall contribution to UNICEF.

UNICEF PROGRAMS SUPPORTED BY GUCCI

The funds generated by the 2005, 2006 and 2007 campaigns have had significant impact on thousands of children’s lives. In the first three years of the campaign, Gucci’s donations supported two major UNICEF programs in Malawi and Mozambique:

MALAWI Community-Based Child Care Centers

Malawi, one of the poorest countries in the world, faces a crisis in managing chronic poverty in combination with the effects of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. There are approximately 70,000 HIV positive children under the age of 15 in the country. Community-Based Child Care Centers provide special programs to orphans and vulnerable children under age five to help them cope with instability and loss, to allow them time in a less stressful environment, and to provide them with learning opportunities in preparation for primary school. In addition, through “children’s corners” UNICEF and partners provide psychosocial support to children between 6 and 18 years of age where they receive counseling, peer support, and recreation.

MOZAMBIQUE Child-Friendly Schools

More than 600,000 children are directly affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Mozambique; it is estimated that 650,000 children are not in school and two-thirds of primary school age children leave school before completing grade five. In order to address this, schools need to go beyond simply being centers of learning that provide academic knowledge – they have to perform non-traditional duties such as offering HIV/AIDS prevention, life skills and health instruction, and psycho-social assistance. UNICEF’s Child-Friendly Schools (CFS) aim to improve the quality of education provided in primary schools by training teachers and community workers to help all children to attend school and complete each grade. The model also aims to create child-friendly and safe school environments where care and support, particularly for orphaned and other vulnerable children, can be provided.

RESULTS

The funds generated by the 2005, 2006, and 2007 campaigns are truly saving and improving children’s lives:

Funds from the 2005 campaign continue to help UNICEF and partners reach 150 Community-Based Child Care Centers and 60 children’s corners in Malawi, impacting approximately 12,800 children.

Funds from the 2006 campaign are enabling UNICEF to work in two districts in the provinces of Manica and Sofala, Mozambique, establishing 141 CFS which will enable at least 56,000 children, particularly orphaned and the most vulnerable children, to have access to an education and complete each grade.

Funds from the 2007 campaign are helping provide a loving, supportive, caring family environment for orphans and other vulnerable children in Malawi. Gucci’s donation is helping provide services that meet children’s basic needs, including 75 Community-Based Care Centers serving 7,500 children; 50 children’s corners serving 5,000 children; and 10 new playgrounds, in addition to training caregivers and volunteers.

Funds from the 2007 campaign are also being used to create CFS in the Chibuto district of Mozambique.

The Gucci funds are helping UNICEF to support the establishment of 112 CFS, and as a result, at least 54,000 children, particularly orphaned and other vulnerable children, will have access to school, complete each grade and receive a range of services.

Funds from each ‘Gucci for UNICEF’ bag sold to date in 2007-2008 will provide:

• Medicines to keep 250 HIV-positive or HIV-exposed infants in Malawi healthy for one year: Babies who are HIV-positive are particularly susceptible to pneumonia and other potentially fatal infections. Cotrimoxazole, a lifesaving, simple and inexpensive antibiotic, protects vulnerable children against these diseases. UNICEF administers the medication to infants known to be HIV-positive, as well as to infants born to HIV-infected mothers; or

• Therapeutic nutrition to strengthen five HIV-positive children in Mozambique: Malnutrition is rampant among children who are HIV-positive, lowering their immune defenses and increasing their chances of contracting life-threatening infections. Supplemental nutrition is a vital part of keeping HIV-positive children healthy.

FEBRUARY 6, 2008 FUNDRAISING EVENT
A NIGHT TO BENEFIT RAISING MALAWI AND UNICEF

On February 6, 2008, Gucci and Madonna hosted A NIGHT TO BENEFIT RAISING MALAWI AND UNICEF, an exclusive fundraising event. Co-chaired by Gucci’s Creative Director, Frida Giannini, the evening was dedicated to raising funds and awareness for orphans and children made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. The event successfully raised a total of approximately 5.4 million USD from ticket sales and a live auction.

The 2.7 million USD donation to UNICEF from this event was dedicated to UNICEF’s “Schools for Africa” program. Gucci’s support of this program began with the company’s Holiday Campaign to Benefit UNICEF in 2006 and 2007, which benefited Child-Friendly Schools in Mozambique.

About Schools for Africa:
“Schools for Africa” is a joint initiative established in 2004 by UNICEF, the Nelson Mandela Foundation, and the Hamburg Society to promote education for children in Africa.

The campaign aims to increase access to quality basic education for all children, with a special emphasis on helping the most disadvantaged -- girls, orphans, children living in extreme poverty, and other vulnerable children.

Within this campaign, UNICEF is working with governments, local authorities, communities, and other partners in six of Africa’s most needy countries — Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, South Africa, and Zimbabwe — to benefit four million children by:

• - building and rehabilitating schools, and providing proper furniture such as desks
• - creating schools that offer a safe and protective environment where children can learn and play
• - educating children about day-to-day hygiene and HIV prevention
• - providing access to clean water, and separate sanitation facilities for both boys and girls
• - providing proper school materials, such as exercise books, pens, and other student supplies as well as sports and recreation equipment
• - training teachers to provide children with quality education and basic life skills

As a result of Gucci’s significant contribution from the February 6th event, Gucci is not only one of UNICEF’s largest international corporate supporters, but is also now the largest corporate donor to UNICEF’s Schools for Africa program. The sizeable donation will enable UNICEF to help build a better future for orphans and children affected by HIV/AIDS in all six countries represented in the campaign – implementing programs in 148 schools and impacting thousands of children.

Building on the success of the February 6th event, the funds from the 2008 Gucci Campaign to Benefit UNICEF will be dedicated to Schools for Africa in Malawi and Mozambique, where the company has consistently supported programs for orphans and vulnerable children throughout the four years of the partnership with UNICEF.

*Funds generated from sales in China will support UNICEF programs for children affected by HIV/AIDS in China.

Photography credits, left to right
UNICEF/ HQ04-0496/Louise Gubb
UNICEF/ HQ06-2267/Giacomo Pirozzi
UNICEF/ HQ05-1403/Christine Nesbitt
UNICEF/ HQ06-2264/Giacomo Pirozzi
UNICEF/ HQ06-2268/Giacomo Pirozzi