Roche highlights success of global Children’s Walk scheme

Roche has outlined the success of its annual Children's Walk charity drive, which took place yesterday (June 16th 2011).

The event saw around 15,000 Roche employees at more than 100 sites in the world walking to collect donations that will be used to fund day-care centres in underprivileged Malawi and various international children's charities.

Roche has been holding these events annually since 2003, with this year's walk coinciding with the International Day of the African Child.

To date, more than seven million Swiss francs (5.12 million pounds) has been raised, allowing for the purchase of school uniforms and meals for more than 13,000 orphans, as well as funding education and training schemes.

Roche's chief executive officer Severin Schwan said: "The Children's Walk is an important day in the Roche calendar. Not only does it unite employees from all over the world behind one good cause."

Earlier this month, the company announced a new collaboration with the University of California, Los Angeles that will see the educational facility using Roche technology in its future research.