ANTA Group's Partnership with UNHCR Empowers 300,000 Displaced Children Through Education and Sports

Three-Year Partnership Delivers Greater Access to Learning, Safety, and Sport for Displaced Youth

GENEVA, Dec. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- ANTA Group's "Moving for Change" partnership with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is expected to have supported more than 300,000 displaced children and youth in Africa over the past three years. At this week's Global Refugee Forum Progress Review in Geneva, the Chinese sportwear company pledged to maintain similar levels of contribution for the next three years, continuing its efforts to enhance safety, education, and well-being of displaced children through learning and play.

Christina Li, Vice President of ANTA Group, addressed the Forum, noting that from 2023 to 2025, ANTA Group provided US$1.5 million in financial support and donated 1.2 million pieces of sporting apparel and equipment to displaced youth and children in Burundi, Kenya and Ethiopia. These contributions support UNHCR's Sports for Protection programming and Primary Impact education initiative, which keeps refugee classrooms open during crisis by funding teachers and supplying learning materials so children can start, stay, and succeed in school.

"As responsible global citizens, we have long been committed to turning our vision into reality through global CSR initiatives, echoing the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals of No Poverty, Good Health and Well-being, Quality Education, and Reduced Inequalities," Li said. "We believe in the power of sports to unite people – regardless of background, ethnicity, or nationality. In China, we have implemented multiple sports-related programs benefiting nearly 10 million young people. We are now expanding our sports philanthropy to support international humanitarian efforts, extending our impact from Chinese youth to vulnerable communities worldwide."

In September, Li and Arash Bordbar, Primary Impact lead at UNHCR, led a delegation to two refugee camps in Ethiopia to witness firsthand the impact of the partnership. The visits demonstrated how ANTA Group's support is creating lasting, positive change for refugee children – both in classrooms and on sports fields.

At Ethiopia's Bambasi refugee camp – which hosts 16,000 refugees – Li kicked off a friendly football match supported by ANTA Group. "Sport is a universal language that transcends all barriers and brings hope, joy and unity – even in the most challenging circumstances."

Li noted that delivering in-kind donations to Africa required significant coordination and commitment including careful sorting, international transportation, and last-mile delivery. By working closely with a range of partners, ANTA Group invested additional effort at every stage, successfully overcoming logistical complexities to ensure both cash and in-kind donations reached refugee sites in Kenya and other countries as intended.

Arash Bordbar, who leads the education-focused Primary Impact program at UNHCR, emphasized: "The partnership with ANTA Group is a clear example of how private-sector engagement can expand opportunities and transform the lives of people forced to flee. By investing in purpose-driven education and sports programming – and co-creating solutions with partners like ANTA Group – we see how the private sector can play a vital role in addressing global challenges and creating lasting solutions."

Wu Dan, Head of Overseas Project Department, Chinese Red Cross Foundation added: "Guided by the spirit of building a China-Africa community with a shared future, we have been working closely with UN agencies and enterprises, integrating resources and expertise from all parties. In the past two years, we have overcome a severe and complex international environment as well as numerous logistical challenges. We delivered international humanitarian aid supplies in three batches to displaced children in three African countries, helping them integrate into communities, return to school, and regain their optimistic spirit. We've achieved many 'firsts' through the tripartite collaboration, allowing us to contribute to the realization of the UN Sustainable Development Goals through humanitarian practice and advance the building of a global community with a shared future for humankind. "

ANTA Group reaffirmed its commitment to deepening cooperation with UNHCR and working alongside global partners to build a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable world.

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