CEZ Vanzare supports the access of children from disadvantaged communities to online education

Established as a long-term promise for the future of future generations, CEZ Vânzare launches the platform www.promisiuneaverde.ro  which supports along with its customers, the education of children from disadvantaged communities, offering access to digital education: state-of-the-art tablets, internet for two years and digital training for teachers, parents and students. All a consumer has to do in order to take part in this promise is to buy CEZ Verde, a 100% renewable energy product. The project will be implemented with the support of Save the Children Romania, nationally recognized for its numerous educational, social protection and children’s rights promotion programs.

Thus, with each new CEZ Verde contract signed by consumers starting July 20, 2020, they become a community with which CEZ Vânzare promises to offer an extra chance to the education of a child from socio-economically disadvantaged families. Given the current context, this support aims primarily to help students in the school year 2020-2021, but also in the long term, contributing to the digitalization of the Romanian education system. The digital tools offered through the campaign will be accompanied by the internet valid for two years, but also by an important component of training for both students and teachers or parents (preparing all those involved for the use of devices and improving online teaching for teachers)

The trainings will be supported by Save the Children specialists before and at the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year.

Anyone can “make a promise” to a child by choosing CEZ Verde

“The Green Promise: Present for the Future” platform is a long-term mission to build a sustainable future together with our communities. Through the green energy product we encourage not only the responsible consumption of energy and valuable resources offered by the environment, but also the care for future generations “, described this approach Cornelia Szabo, Executive Director and President of CEZ Vânzare.

CEZ Verde is a 100% renewable energy product, developed  for both domestic customers and companies. The energy comes entirely from the largest onshore wind farm in Europe, with a total installed capacity of 600 MW, located in Dobrogea and owned by the CEZ Group in Romania, the largest private producer in Romania.

4 out of 10 children could not benefit from online school during the restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic

This initiative comes as a measure to reduce the impressive number of children at risk of poverty or social exclusion who have been unable to attend school lessons and examinations conducted exclusively online during the COVID-19 pandemic. of the families in Romania do not have access or have limited access to the Internet, and in many rural areas the telephone signal is weak or non-existent).

The children who will benefit from this support are in the Save the Children educational programs. They are between 5 and 16 years old, live in rural areas or on the outskirts of cities and come from very vulnerable families, socio-economically disadvantaged, with modest incomes or people without permanent jobs. Most parents have a high school education and no in-depth knowledge of the use of technology and the Internet, so their children have no support in doing homework online.

“Access to education is an essential right of children. When it is restricted, limited or conditioned, we are faced with a situation of discrimination that can have dramatic consequences for both the child and society. That is why it is crucial to make sure that all children in Romania, regardless of their place of residence and socio-economic status, will be admitted to school, even if it will be online or partially online, due to the pandemic. It is essential that all children have the necessary technical means not to be left out of the education process,” said Gabriela Alexandrescu, Executive President of Save the Children Romania.

The results of a study conducted by Save the Children among the beneficiaries of the organization’s socio-educational programs, between April 22 and 25, 2020, show that over 40% of the children in the sample did not benefit from online education, which aggravates the social cleavage. According to estimates Save the Children, the number of school-age children at risk of poverty or social exclusion who do not have access to online education can exceed 400,000 children.

Analyzing the situation of the 891 school children from the families included in the sample, we notice that:

• 9 out of 10 people say they have access to the Internet in the household. However, most of them surf online using their mobile phones, which makes it difficult to use the internet in educational contexts;
• 10% do not have access to the Internet;
• 7% have access to the Internet at home only through mobile phones;
• only 29.2% have access to the Internet from their desktop, laptop or tablet;
• only 1 in 10 parents say that they manage to help all their children to learn enough, and 40% of the respondents say that they do not manage to help their children to learn enough in the current conditions.

About the CEZ Group in Romania

CEZ Group has been present on the Romanian market since 2005, with the takeover of the distribution company Electrica Oltenia SA, which, after the transformation process, provides electricity to seven counties: Argeş, Dolj, Gorj, Mehedinţi, Olt, Vâlcea and Teleorman . The CEZ Group’s business in Romania is represented by the eight companies – Oltenia Distribution, CEZ Romania, CEZ Vânzare, CEZ Trade, Tomis Team, MW Invest, Ovidiu Development and TMK Hydroenergy Power.

CEZ Vânzare is the main electricity supplier in southwestern Romania, but also a natural gas supplier, with a portfolio of domestic and industrial customers that exceeds 1.3 million customers.

About Save the Children Romania

For 30 years, Save the Children Romania has been building social programs, public policies and solid practices for the benefit of the child in Romania. The expertise and complexity of projects at national level make the organization an essential social institution, whose role is to mediate between society and public authority, for the benefit of the child.

In three decades of activity, Save the Children has actively intervened in society, identifying concrete solutions to protect and support vulnerable children, and at the same time campaigned for a viable collaboration with decision-makers to ensure the best interests of the child. Save the Children has taken on the role of vigilant oversight of public authorities, so that they can implement lasting public policies that correct the causes that lead to the vulnerability of children. At the same time, the organization managed to create active solidarity networks, by encouraging the social responsibility of companies and society, in a broad sense.

As member of Save the Children, the world’s largest independent organization that promotes children’s rights and has 30 members and programs in more than 120 countries, our VISION is a world that respects every child’s right to survival, education, protection and participation, assuming the MISSION to make important progress in the way children are treated and the production of immediate and lasting changes in their lives. In the 30 years of activity, over 2,200,000 children have been involved in the programs and campaigns of the Save the Children Organization. More about the organization’s programs on the website www.salvaticopiii.ro