Lyoness Child & Family Foundation Launches School Project Supported by Nelson Mandela

GRAZ, Austria, August 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Rebuilding the No-Moscow Primary School in Qunu, South Africa, by the Lyoness Child & Family Foundation started at the celebrations of the Mandela Day on July 18^th. Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, is a prominent partner of the project.

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Graça Machel, Nelson Mandela's wife, solemnly started construction of the new No-Moscow Primary School in Qunu, the former South African president's birthplace. Also his grandson Mbuso Mandela was present. "We would like to help our friends who live here and who suffer from the obsolete building and the limited resourses," explains the 21-year-old who spent much of his childhood in Qunu and who has initiated the cooperation with the Child & Family Foundation.

Graça Machel emphasized that the beginning of construction work at the same time was the emotional beginning of the Mandela Day celebrations which are traditionally being held on July 18^th. On this day people world-wide are called to do something good for others for 67 minutes - remembering that Nelson Mandela has spent 67 years standing up for justice and human rights.

Nelson Mandela also has been standing up for children and their right to education all his life. "Mandiba adores children," says Graça Machel. "He does everything he can for the children of his country and for offering good education to them." Providing access to education for young people still is of prime importance to him, the 94-year-old emphasized at the celebrations: "Education is important because if you are not educated you can't be a leader."

Thus the Mandela family is very happy about the whole school project. "We thank you for having come all the way from Austria and having chosen this place for you to make a difference in South Africa," affirms Machel. "We are absolutely sure that this is just the beginning of our relationship."

All financial means for building the school were provided by the Lyoness Child & Family Foundation. At the project's start Lyoness founder and CEO Hubert Freidl, Nina Passegger, Director Child & Family Foundation, and a LYONESS.TV-team were present in South Africa. "We intend to build the new school in record time. We are planning to realise this project together with the Mandela family within the next six months," Freidl explains. The new school will have seven class-rooms and a library and will offer a better learning environment for the students.

About the Lyoness Child & Family Foundation

According to the founding idea of the internationally active shopping community Lyoness, to be strong together as a community, the Lyoness Child & Family Foundation was founded in 2008 as an independent charitable organisation, which supports national and international aid projects under the motto "Education. Chances. Future." Each Lyoness member contributes actively to the realization of the Foundation's projects with a part of their purchases. These are mainly projects which create opportunities for children and teenagers in economically deprived countries world-wide.

Press-photo:

Nelson Mandela (middle) with his grandson Mbuso Mandela (right) and the Lyoness team (from left to right): Gerhard Buckholz (Lyoness South Africa), company founder and CEO Hubert Freidl, Nina Passegger and Marko Sedovnik.

Credit: LYONESS.TV

More photos can be provided on request.

For further questions please contact:

Silvia Weihs
(Head of Public Relations)
Lyoness Management GmbH
Kärntner Straße 9, 8020 Graz, Austria
e-mail: silvia.weihs@lyoness.ag
phone: +43(316)7077-680
mobile: +43(0)664-855-5241

SOURCE Lyoness Management GmbH