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Nike in partnership with the Population & Community Development Association (PDA) and local villages, established the ‘NIKE Village Development Project’ in Thailand.

The Project has setup revolving funds to provide low low-interest loans to local villagers so they can finance income-generating activities, such as the sale of homemade food. Furthermore, the company supported environmental activities, such as reforestation and ecological awareness training, as well as educational activities for local villagers: occupational skills, entrepreneurial workshops, leadership training and scholarships.

Direct benefits are observable among the children of target group members who received scholarships and school lunches providing a nutritionally balanced diet, relieving parents from economic burdens and teaching the students to contribute by producing various vegetables and other food products themselves.

The NIKE Village Development Project also helped to raise awareness in the district on ecological issues and environmental problems. Now there is more community involvement in the protection of the environment in the district. On a more general level, villagers are more inclined to stay in the area, making the development efforts sustainable.