XOM Exxon Mobil Corp

ExxonMobil today announced a further three community investment grants totaling more than $1 million under its new Educating Women & Girls initiative. An extension of ExxonMobil's longstanding support for education, this community investment initiative was launched in June 2005 and is targeted at the 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 funding programs and projects which promote the education of women and girls, we are laying the foundation for societal progress, development and economic growth," said Rex Tillerson, president, Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM). "ExxonMobil has now awarded grants valued at nearly $3 million for the first year of this initiative. By consistently and specifically targeting our contributions at development barriers, we believe we can help drive real change and support the achievement of international development goals," said Tillerson. The ExxonMobil grants awarded today include: Nigeria: ExxonMobil will fund a three-year $750,000 project with the Center for Development and Population Activities (CEDPA). The 'Better Life Options' project will benefit teenage Nigerian girls who are at 'educational risk' in Akwa Ibom State. Colombia: ExxonMobil will fund a $295,000 project with UNICEF to improve the water and sanitation facilities in schools in Cartagena and Santa Maria. Sakhalin Island (Russia): ExxonMobil will fund a $30,000 Vital Voices project to help build the capacity of Sakhalin community organizations to design and manage future women & girls education projects.