When Michelle Chapman was selected by her employer, CEVA Logistics (formerly known as TNT Logistics) to take part in the company's charity programme, she had no idea how deeply it would affect her. As part of its partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP), CEVA seconded volunteers to work in Tanzania for three months on full pay.
Michelle Chapman, an employee at the contract CEVA operates for Volkswagen in Milton Keynes, worked with the WFP team to design and build fuel-efficient cooking facilities and rainwater harvesting tanks for schools.
But it was a visit to boarding schools in the Arusha region of Tanzania that left the greatest impression on Michelle. She was very upset to see that the children slept on filthy mattresses, with as many as six children sharing one mattress. So she checked out of her hotel and used her accommodation budget to buy more than 200 new mattresses.
After her return to the UK, Michelle raised another £4,500 from colleagues at CEVA and friends and returned to Tanzania to buy more mattresses. Michelle says: "I'll never forget the children squealing with delight as they unloaded the mattresses from the trucks. It has made a huge difference to their schooling that they can get a good night's sleep. I was privileged that CEVA gave me this chance to work in Tanzania."
CEVA Logistics has a long-standing commitment to supporting charities and last year the staff raised £56,000 for their nominated charities – Macmillan Cancer Support, the British Heart Foundation and the World Food Programme.
About CEVA
CEVA Logistics (formerly known as TNT Logistics) is a leading global logistics and supply chain management company. It designs, implements and operates complex supply chain solutions on a national, regional or global scale for multinational and large local companies. It provides customers with end-to-end logistics solutions spanning the entire supply chain. The company focuses on a diverse range of market sectors including automotive, tyres, high-tech/electronics, industrial, fast moving consumer goods (FMCG), and publishing & media. CEVA employs 38,000 people and operates an extensive global network with facilities in 26 countries worldwide, maintain 567 warehouses globally with a combined space of approximately 7.4 million square meters. For fiscal year 2005, CEVA reported sales of €3.5 billion. CEVA is owned by affiliates of Apollo Management, L.P., one of the leading private equity investors in the world.
www.cevalogistics.com