Siyafunda Early Development School in South Africa Opens Brand New Facilities With the Help of Funding From Buongiorno

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, October 15, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --

- Siyafunda Forms Part of the Charitable Projects That Buongiorno has Supported in its 10thanniversary Year, Which Help Deliver Education Programmes Throughout the Globe

- Buongiorno's Donation Helps the Knysna Education Trust's Upgrading of an Early Child Development Facility and Demonstrates Buongiorno's Continuing Commitment to Serving the Communities in Which it Operates

Buongiorno (FTSE Italy STAR: BNG), a global leader in mobile entertainment, is pleased to announce that the Siyafunda school in Siyafunda, Rhobololo, Knysna, South Africa has reopened with the help of the support of donations of Buongiorno and Wayne Pitout (founder of South African iTouch, acquired by Buongiorno in 2007). The newly refurbished school will make a fundamental difference to the education and learning of many disadvantaged children in the local area.

The school will be officially opened today and Buongiorno's senior management will be present, together with Mr Pitout and Sonet Strydom, Administration Manager of the Knysna Education Trust. The trust was founded in 2002 and is a non-governmental organisation - supported through charitable funding - which focuses on raising the standard of education of children in disadvantaged areas of Knysna Municipal District.

Buongiorno is proud to support this project and believes that the dedication of the exceptional volunteers at the centre and the newly refurbished facilities will ensure a better start in life for the children. The complete rebuilding of Siyafunda has created two classrooms for 2 - 6 year olds, a babies' room, a kitchen, a storeroom and an undercover veranda. Siyafunda aims to be completely self-sustainable with two 1000 litre rain water tanks and an extra biodegradable portable toilet.

Siyafunda is part of a broader charitable project that Buongiorno has undertaken to mark its 10th anniversary. The charities supported by Buongiorno have been proposed by employees who have been heavily involved from the very early stage to point to the Charity Project committee - made by CEO, HR director and Head of Marketing - the organizations and voted by the 1000+ team members of B!'s 24 offices around the world to select 4. All charities are mainly focussed on supporting education initiatives and they include, additional to Siyafunda: "APANAG" the Spanish Association of Parents of Children suffering from Autism, the Tanzania's charity "Village Africa" and the "Indonesian Street Children Organization".

Buongiorno's continuous commitment to children's education has also been supported with two CSR initiatives: "Stop Cyberbulling" in Italy - a campaign to raise awareness which launched in 2008. The aim was to help young people act responsibly and safely when using mobile phones and the Internet. The campaign led to the creation of a multimedia handbook produced by junior high and senior school pupils and their teachers; and Teach Today in Europe - a website (teachtoday.eu) designed to help teachers encourage children to use the internet and mobile technology responsibly and safely in partnership with fourteen leading mobile operators, mobile content, social networking companies and internet providers.

Hans Mol, Country Manager Buongiorno South Africa commented: "I am proud that we have made a difference to the local community by helping the Siyafunda school to reopen. The Knysna Education Trust is a fantastic organisation and we are proud that we can contribute to the wonderful work it undertakes. Marked by its 10th year anniversary Buongiorno begins an ongoing engagement in the geographies where it operates in charitable projects that have a positive impact on education, either by raising funds or by providing pro bono services".

Sonet Strydom, Administration Manager, Knysna Education Trust, commented: "Donations form a vital part of any non-profit organisation, being solely reliant on external funding. Without the support from organisations such as Buongiorno, we would not be able to continue our projects and bring about positive changes to the lives of the children."

Presently there are 82 children between the ages of 2 to 6 attending Siyafunda on a daily basis. The average household income of the families who send their children to Siyafunda averages R750 a month and the children typically come from backgrounds associated with problems with alcoholism, illiteracy, HIV / AIDS, lack of adult supervision and informal housing without sanitation and other facilities.

Contact: [email protected]; Tel. +39-02-582131

SOURCE Buongiorno Spa

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