Cooperation between Finavia and Plan was launched in 2008 when five Plan Pastilli fund raising boxes were placed at Helsinki Airport. Over the years, the cooperation has become deeper and more extensive, and has enabled more and more children in developing countries to go to school.
The boxes are set along the busiest access routes of the airport and a large number of frequent travellers are already in the habit of stopping at a Pastilli box to help children in developing countries to have a better future.
Joni Sundelin, director of Finavia, is happy with the cooperation with Plan. However, he emphasises the significance of the third party to the cooperation.
"The biggest thank you goes to the passengers with whom we have achieved this together. Air passengers have regarded their donating to Plan in a positive way: this is an easy and convenient way for them to support the good work," says Sundelin.
The €100,000 donated to Plan during five years will be allocated to children's education, protection and early education in developing countries. The boxes are set along the busiest access routes of the airport and a large number of frequent travellers are already in the habit of stopping at a Pastilli box to help children in developing countries to have a better future.
Sundelin is glad that the cooperation can help improve the life quality of children in developing countries.
"Finavia seeks to be a responsible and reliable company that promotes the functionality and competitiveness of Finnish society. As part of our responsible way of working, we are actively contributing to the development of our operating environment, both in Finland and internationally. For Finavia, the Plan cooperation is a way of promoting the wellbeing of children in developing countries. The cooperation also enables effective support in locations which our operating environment does not necessarily reach."
Bottles collected for a good purpose
The box fund raising at Helsinki Airport continues. The fund raising expanded to cover Ostrobothnia in 2011 when a Plan Pastilli box was placed at the Kokkola-Pietarsaari airport.
A few years ago, cooperation between Finavia and Plan expanded from coins to bottles. At the security checkpoints at Helsinki Airport, you can put empty bottles and cans in sorting locations from where they are recycled via the Finnish bottle refund system.
The refunds from returned bottles are donated to Plan to promote the wellbeing of children in the world.
The cooperation between Finavia and Plan benefits children on three continents. The early education of children at 0 to 6 years of age is one of the targets for the funds raised at the airports.
During 2012, Plan provided 239,785 people in the early education sector with training in its operating countries, and in Vietnam, for example, 17,000 children have participated in early education activities.
