Amman, Jordan (Updated June 19, 2006) — Reaching out to the community to make a difference, global technology, media and financial services major GE today donated $25,000 to upgrade both facilities and educational quality at the Al Nuzha Kindergarten School in Jordan.

A check for the amount was presented by Nabil Habayeb, GE’s President and CEO for the Middle East and Africa region to Her Royal Highness Princess Basma Bint Talal, President of the Board of Directors, Save the Children Jordan, Zyad Murad, Vice President of the Board of Directors, Save the Children Jordan; and Dennis Walto, Country Director for Jordan and Lebanon, Save the Children; in the presence of William Wakillah, GE National Executive, the Levant & Iraq, at an ‘Open Day’ held at the school.

The donation from GE will go towards refurbishment of the Al Nuzha School and the purchase of educational toys, furniture and other school needs.

The GE contribution follows the highest level management honor for Nabil Habayeb. In January 2006, Habayeb received the 2006 GE Chairman’s Leadership Award for Innovation, the company’s top-notch management award, and with it, the opportunity to designate $25,000 to a charitable organization of his choosing. The GE Chairman's Leadership Award recognizes key individuals for the year in the categories of performance, strategy and initiatives, and leadership and culture.

“GE is committed to being a good global citizen and leveraging its size to make a positive impact in every community we operate in by tackling big and small needs,” Habayeb said.

“Personally, this is an emotional moment for me. While this donation of $25,000 is a follow-up to the GE Chairman’s Leadership Award so generously bestowed on our team, I must add that it is only a small token and we hope to be more actively involved through our GE Volunteers group in Jordan and provide hands-on assistance with future activities in the school.”

The Save the Children project at the Al Nuzha Kindergarten School is a perfect match for GE as both entities are equally committed to providing vital infrastructure for the benefit of the entire community, Habayeb added.

"GE’s investment in Jordan's future today is a model of public and private partnership. With their support, early childhood education becomes more than learning through play; it's a great way to do business. We are proud to be a development partner of this great organization," said Dennis Walto.

Today’s presentation ceremony included a tour of the kindergarten, a presentation by Farouk Al Ahmad, Executive Director of Save the Children Jordan’s office, and a colorful cultural program that showcased the talents of the kindergarten children as well as participants from ANARWA, Zaha Cultural Centre, the Board of the Children’s Parents, the Women Committee and the Youth Committee at Al Nuzha area.

Save the Children in Jordan has an impressive track-record of initiating and sustaining effective development programs that benefit children, youth and families. The organization has recently launched two new youth initiatives — NASEEJ and NAJAH, under the patronage of Their Majesties King Abdullah II and Queen Rania Al-Abdullah.

With offices in 27 countries and projects in more than 100 countries worldwide, Save the Children focuses on creating real and lasting change for children around the world.

The Jordan programs include a focused attention on youth and young people as more than 70 percent of the population in Jordan is below 30 years of age. Save the Children works to support early childhood development initiatives aimed at improving the quality of education and teams with parents to enhance parenting skills. Save the Children also promotes healthy behaviors as a partner in the “Our Health, Our Responsibility” national health communications program.

The organization continues to support the provision of credit to poor women, though its partnership efforts with MicroFund for Woman, a Jordanian micro-credit organization that benefits hundreds of thousands of Jordanians every year.

GE maintains a long-established and highly successful corporate citizenship program with components in compliance and governance, human rights, health, safety and environment, supply chain, employee relations and community work.

Some of its successes in this arena include being ranked first for corporate governance in the Financial Times annual ‘World’s Most Respected Companies’ survey; a reduction in injuries and illness by five percent and lost-time cases by eight percent; global contributions of cash, products and services worth $215 million for disaster and relief efforts; and GE volunteers donating more than one million volunteer hours for community and relief initiatives worldwide.