Supporting educational and training initiatives
We believe that education and learning is the key to a sustainable future. Accordingly, we support initiatives worldwide that focus on helping the communities we are active in through education and learning.
Since the devastating earthquake in the Manabí region of Ecuador in April 2016, the IdealAlambrec-Bekaert plant (Ecuador) supported the education program of 50 technical college students. In the first phase, our technicians gave 50 hours of construction training to 2 local professors, focusing on earthquake resistant construction methods in sensitive areas. In the second phase, the teachers passed on their knowledge with the help of our technicians to 50 students. About 1 200 training hours were given in total.
Bekaert continued the support to the National 4-H Council and became a silver sponsor. 4-H is the largest youth development and empowerment organization in the US, reaching more than 7 million 4-H youth in urban neighborhoods, suburban schoolyards and rural farming communities. In April 2016, 4-H launched its Grow True Leaders campaign to empower youth with the opportunity to share their voice and show how they are making a difference in their communities.