FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Citigroup Inc. (NYSE: C)
December 19, 2007
15,000 Pupils Involved in this Year's Citibank Financial Education School Program in Hungary
The Program Continues with a $130,000 Donation from the Citi Foundation
Budapest, Hungary – Another 15,000 pupils will now have access to innovative technology-based teaching materials in the 36 elementary schools across Hungary that are included in this year's Citibank Financial Education Program. Citibank Hungary launched this program in 2001 in partnership with Junior Achievement Hungary. When coupled with this year's support of $130,000, the Citi Foundation has donated a total of $810,000 to Junior Achievement Hungary. A total of 95,000 pupils in 214 schools across Hungary can now learn from the modern personal finance training materials donated through this program.
The aim of the program is to provide schools with modern, technology-based curricula and innovative teaching strategies to will increase students' knowledge, skills and performance in economics, mathematics, finance and English.
Batara Sianturi, Citi Country Officer for Citibank Zrt., said, "Three years ago Citi announced a $200 million, 10-year global commitment to Financial Education. Our Citibank Financial Education School Program has been very successful over the past six years, so we decided to continue expanding it to more schools in more regions in Hungary. We believe that the earlier students start learning the basics of economics and finance – naturally, through interesting, interactive simulation games and exercises appropriate for their age – the easier it will be for them to meet the requirements and challenges of the modern age."
This year the program was enhanced to include setting up and running small student enterprises, beside the economics, finance, mathematics and English language DVD teaching materials. A state-of-the-art, large-screen computer and a modern laptop are also part of the package to provide the hardware for running the DVDs.
The educational DVD materials of economics and finance have been prepared by Junior Achievement Hungary based of their printed teaching materials developed in the US. These materials have been adapted to reflect Hungary's market environment and to meet the interests of Hungarian pupils.
The student enterprises program will teach students how to set up and run successfully a private small enterprise. They will also learn how to operate in an ethical way in this challenging market environment. Successful enterprises around the country will have the opportunity to introduce their products to the public in a Student Fair organized by Citibank and Junior Achievement Hungary next Spring in Budapest.
Orsolya Gergely, Managing Director of Junior Achievement Hungary, said: "We are delighted to be able to continue to expand this successful program with Citibank's help. It is always very rewarding to see the joy on the students' faces when they receive the educational package. I am sure most of them do not realize that what they have just received was far more than a one-off gift, but rather an opportunity to acquire knowledge and experience that will help them be successful later in their life."
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Citi
Citi, the leading global financial services company, has some 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 100 countries, providing consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, and wealth management. Citi's major brands include Citibank, CitiFinancial, Primerica, Smith Barney and Banamex. Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com or www.citi.com.
The Citi Foundation
The Citi Foundation focuses its grants primarily on financial education and community development, along with arts and culture, health and human services, and the environment. Additional information may be found at: www.citigroup.com
Citi Financial Education Program
Based on the belief that knowledge is your greatest asset, the Citi Financial Education Program is a global, company-wide effort to identify, support and implement initiatives that help give individuals, families and communities the tools needed to make sound financial decisions. Citi's 10-year, $200 million global commitment is focused in three areas: Personal Financial Education, Small Business Financial Education, and Institutional Financial Education. Additional information about Citi's Financial Education Program, including Foundation guidelines, links and resources, including the Citi Financial Education Program Curriculum and Facilitator's Guide may be found at: http://financialeducation.citigroup.com
Junior Achievement Hungary
Junior Achievement Hungary (JAH) is a licensed franchise of Junior Achievement Worldwide. The foundation has been running its programs in Hungary since 1992. Eleven separate programs targeted from kindergartens to high schools are currently being offered to 40,000 students in 140 cities and villages across Hungary. The mission of JAH is to provide students with the opportunity to learn about the business environment and free market economy through a dynamic partnership between businesses and schools. By attending these programs, students acquire knowledge and essential skills that will help them become educated consumers, more productive employees and more responsible members of the business community.