A Very Bluey Christmas

It's the holiday season, and we are again surrounded by festive decorations, lights and music. Everything feels so jolly and sparkly this time of year, it's easy to forget that for the less fortunate, celebrating Christmas is hardly a priority as it simply gets in the way of their constant struggle for bare necessities. Christmas is all about the sharing of joy, and GSK is doing something about that. 

Back in May, GSK teamed up with Blue Dragon Children Foundation (BDCF) for the first time, with the outcome being a donation to BDCF's Back to School campaign thanks to the wonderful support from our community. We are delighted to report that the donated proceed played an important part in helping 15 underprivileged students in Dien Bien province of Vietnam stay in school, which is integral to their future pursuits.

Mo is one of them. She used to live 40 kilometers away from the nearest school, and hadn't had access to formal education until the age of 12. With the support from Blue Dragon and GSK community, she's now able to attend boarding school, while breaking societal prejudices and barriers in the process."I love studying, particularly Geography and Citizenship Education; I hope to become a teacher to bring the knowledge to other kids in my village" - Mo shared. 

We knew this collaboration was only the beginning of a fruitful long-term partnership. Following this initial engagement, we visited BDCF's headquarter and learned about the inspiring visions and programs they have been building for the last 20 years in terms of fighting human trafficking and empowering children in crisis. We also invited BDCF's representatives over on a workplace tour, and discussed ways GSK and BDCF can together bring about positive changes in the future. We are both about building a strong community that allows individuals to thrive, and that's just one of so many of our perfectly aligning core values. 

So here we are, after months of preparation, with another special event that will help redirect many life trajectories towards betterment. Three one-off GSK Unicorn caps, inspired by the colors of Bluey, BDCF's mascot and of course, Christmas! All proceed from the Vickery auction will be donated to Blue Dragon's Christmas campaign, which for this year is focusing on providing at-risk children with amenities and financial support; as well as creating opportunities for their families to access sustainable sources of income. Learn more about the campaign here. 

It's a privilege for GSK to be a position where we can make meaningful impact on people's lives with our art and goodwill. As we continue to build our community empowerment programs, you will definitely see us further our efforts for years to come. For now, join hands with us in the holy spirit of Christmas!