Daimler Supports School for Mentally and Socially Disadvantaged Children in Palestine

Beit Sahour, Palestine / Stuttgart, Germany, October 29, 2007

Daimler AG, the children's mission "Die Sternsinger" ("The Star Singers") and the Mercedes-Benz general agency for the Kingdom of Jordan and Palestine T. Gargour & Fils Company, today handed over a Mercedes-Benz people carrier of the type Vito 115 CDI to the "School of Joy" in Beit Sahour, Palestine.

The "School of Joy" or "Al-Farah" is a private school that is mainly financed by donations. It takes care of approximately 60 children and teenagers who have learning weaknesses or are mentally handicapped, orphans, or from very poor backgrounds. At the "School of Joy", which has been managed by Pater Mamdouh Abu Sada since it was founded in 1998, these children and teenagers are given a chance to obtain an education and training as well as security and a future in society. While the younger children learn to read and write, the teenagers are trained in the methods of olive-wood carving, so that they can later earn a living and do not have to live on the street.

Since many children live far away from the school and few of the parents can pay the transport costs, the school depends on receiving assistance with transport. The Mercedes-Benz Vito handed over today is to be used for this purpose; the children will be taken to school and back home in it every day.

The vehicle was financed by donations from Daimler AG and T. Gargour & Fils Company, which will also take over the maintenance work, as well as the children's mission "Die Sternsinger". At the Epiphany song festival in January 2007, approximately 500,000 children all over Germany collected a total of €38.8 million, which will be used to help children in need around the world.

The Vito 115 CDI is already the second vehicle that Daimler has handed over to the "School of Joy". Another of the company's aid actions has been the sale of olive-wood carvings, made by the teenagers at the school, to Daimler employees in Germany. The proceeds flowed directly back to the school and served to maintain its operations.

Daimler AG is also involved in another project for the benefit of the children in Beit Sahour. Together with the German Association for Technical Cooperation (GTZ), Daimler has set up an apprentices' workshop with a focus on automotive occupations. In cooperation with the Mercedes-Benz general agency and other local garages, this year 15 young people started to learn about modern auto technology.

With its efforts for the younger generation in Palestine, Daimler is meeting its social responsibility as a company with global operations, and is also sending out a signal for the peace movement in this region.