XOM Exxon Mobil Corp

ExxonMobil today announced it has awarded two additional community investment grants under its new Educating Women & Girls initiative. ExxonMobil plans to spend up to $3 million in the initiative's first year. To date, the company has granted a total of US$1.6 million for nine projects in countries where ExxonMobil has significant operations. Launched in June 2005, Educating Women & Girls is an extension of ExxonMobil's longstanding support for education. This multi-year community investment initiative targets developing countries where the company operates. "Research consistently shows that educating women and girls yields a higher rate of return than any other community investment available in the developing world. By targeting our contributions at specific identified barriers to development, we believe we can help drive real change and support the achievement of international development goals," said Rex Tillerson, president, Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM). Educated women are healthier and are less likely to die in childbirth than women with little or no schooling. The children of educated mothers are more likely to survive, to go to school and to be healthier because of better nutrition and immunization rates. Educating women and girls also has been shown to help lower infant and child mortality rates, and prevent the diseases associated with poor sanitation and the spread of HIV/AIDS. "Improvements in education and increased opportunities for women and girls serve as a foundation for societal progress, development and economic growth. By funding programs and projects that promote the education of women and girls, we have targeted one of the most powerful development tools of all," said Susan Carter, manager, Global Community Relations, Exxon Mobil Corporation. The ExxonMobil grants awarded today focus on keeping girls in school and career development for women. UNICEF has received $434,000 to improve water and environmental sanitation for schools in Equatorial Guinea. This project will construct segregated latrines and water wells in pre-schools and primary schools in four districts with the objective of increasing retention rates of girls by improving the quality of education and providing healthy and secure school environments. JHPIEGO has received a $200,000 grant to build the capacity for midwifery training in Aceh, Indonesia. The project focuses on North Aceh Health Academy faculty development and educational improvements, including teaching and technical training, updating and improving the reference library, skills laboratory, and clinical practice sites. Central to the project will be the development of an exchange/ technical advisory program with a more established Indonesian midwifery school. JHPIEGO is an affiliate of The Johns Hopkins University. ExxonMobil Educating Women & Girls Additional 2005 Grant Awards Previously awarded Educating Women and Girls grants totaled US$1.6 million for nine projects in countries where ExxonMobil has significant operations. Global - NGO Capacity Building ExxonMobil is sponsoring scholarships for 26 women from community organizations in the developing world to attend a one-month management training and capacity building course run by CEDPA in Washington, DC. The course will commence on October 24, 2005. Participants have been selected and represent 25 NGOs from 19 countries including Angola, Azerbaijan, Barbados, Russia, Equatorial Guinea, Indonesia, and Colombia. Global - Women's Leadership Support for Vital Voices' leadership training of female business and political leaders from emerging nations. Angola ExxonMobil is working with Save the Children USA and local communities to provide resourcing and construction for up to 24 community schools and classrooms in Kwanza Sul Province. The program identifies girls who are currently out-of-school and targets the underlying causes of their non-attendance by helping to ensure that schools are safe, accessible and free. Chad ExxonMobil is partnering with UNICEF to refurbish and improve 36 schools to make them "child-friendly." For a school to be child-friendly it must have quality teaching, physically and emotionally healthy environments and relevant curricula. Focus areas for this project include providing classroom infrastructure and teaching materials, improved teacher training, improved safety, and adequate drinking water and latrine facilities. Kazakhstan In Kazakhstan, ExxonMobil is working with USAID and the Kazakhstan Loan Fund to establish an Enterprise Development Center in Astana. The Center, co-housed with a micro-finance organization, will provide potential female entrepreneurs with strategic counseling services and training in the areas of financial management, marketing and human resource management. Indonesia Partnerships with Yayasan Pakta and Yayasan Dharma Bhakti Astra in Indonesia will focus on business development, micro-enterprise, training and skills development. These projects target women living in poverty to help enhance their earning potential with business consultation, technical assistance and workshops on product development and marketing (e.g., handicraft market development). A third project, with Garis Tepi, will refurbish a training center in Bojonegoro Regency and provide computer training and English lessons for women. Qatar ExxonMobil's partnership with the Qatar Foundation Social Development Center will provide education and training programs for women ages 19-45 who wish to enter the workforce. The training will build core workplace, business and life skills and targets women who are living in poverty and have limited formal education and/or previous employment.