Mars Wrigley Ireland will see a portion of proceeds from Extra chewing gum sales for the next ten weeks donated to oral-health and family support programmes in Botswana and Zambia.
The campaign, in partnership with SOS Children’s Villages, will donate a portion of chewing gum sales from 26 February to 29 April.
The company has promised a minimum donation pledge of €40,000.
The ‘Chew for Change’ campaign is in its third year in Ireland and has raised €80,000 since 2022.
The international campaign has raised over €3.1 million and supported over 364,000 people since 2013.
Tooth Decay
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), between 60 and 90% of all school-going children are impacted by dental cavities.
Tooth decay is particularly prevalent in disadvantaged communities, making it one of the most common chronic diseases in the world.
As tooth decay is almost entirely preventable, Mars and SOS Children’s Villages have teamed up to reduce its impact.
The organisation uses donations to fund training and support for project managers in communities. It also supplies teaching materials, toothbrushes and toothpaste, and hosts training programmes.
‘Essential Education’
On the announcement, the corporate affairs director of Mars Multisales North Europe, Katrine Grytter, said that she was pleased by the continuing partnership with SOS Children’s Villages.
Grytter said, “Oral hygiene is so important to a person’s health and overall well-being, so we’re proud to have enabled over 30,000 children to have access to this programme over the past two years, through the funds raised by the campaign.”
Alison Wallace, the chief executive of SOS Children’s Villages in the UK, also praised the continuing partnership.
Wallace said, “In many underserved and impoverished areas globally, the lack of health education and access to proper cleaning products contributes to inadequate dental hygiene.
“This partnership between Mars Wrigley Extra and SOS Children’s Villages is essential, as it allows us to bridge the gap, providing essential education and access to much-needed dental healthcare.”
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