IRVING, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 7, 2005--Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) today announced a new community investment initiative, Educating Women and Girls. An extension of ExxonMobil's longstanding support for education, this multi-year initiative will fund numerous education projects for women and girls in the developing world.

ExxonMobil will spend $3 million in 2005, the first year of this program. Today's announcement includes the initiative's first nine grants that will fund projects in Angola, Chad, Kazakhstan, Qatar and Indonesia, as well as two projects with a global focus. This most recent community initiative complements ExxonMobil's ongoing efforts to support the communities where it operates, including its signature Africa Health Initiative, a $10 million-a-year program.

"The research is clear that improvements in education and increased opportunities for women and girls serve as a foundation for economic growth, development and societal progress. We believe this initiative will support international development goals and have a profound and lasting impact on individuals, their families and the communities where we operate around the world," said Rex Tillerson, President, Exxon Mobil Corporation.

World Bank studies confirm that, when all of the benefits are taken into account, programs directed to educating women and girls yield a higher rate of return than any other community investment available in the developing world. Educated women are healthier and less likely to die in childbirth than women with little or no schooling. The children of educated mothers are more likely to survive, to go to school and to be healthier because of better nutrition and immunization rates. Educating women and girls has also been shown to help lower infant and child mortality rates, prevent the diseases associated with poor sanitation, and prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Africa Health Initiative

Since 2000, ExxonMobil's Africa Health Initiative has focused on drug research and development, advocacy for increased international awareness and resources, and support for on-the-ground community projects to promote malaria prevention, education and treatment. The initiative leverages public-private partnerships and collaborations through the ExxonMobil Foundation and in-country ExxonMobil affiliates. Some 70 percent of the Africa Health Initiative's grants go to community projects run by international and local organizations with proven track records in the delivery of anti-malaria programs at a local level. In January 2005 ExxonMobil announced more than $5 million in new Africa Health Initiative grants.

One of the simplest and most cost-effective means of malaria prevention in Africa today is the insecticide-treated bed-net, and ExxonMobil has funded bed-net distribution in Angola, Cameroon, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Zambia. In an ongoing partnership with the Academy of Educational Development's USAID-funded NetMark project, ExxonMobil supports the "Help Us Help" campaign, which uses the Mobil retail service station network in affected countries to encourage bed-net use and enable the distribution of subsidized nets to pre- and post-natal women. ExxonMobil also supported the planning and start-up of anti-malaria bed-net production at a local textile mill in Tanzania.

"This is more than a bed-net program. It engages our customers and our communities to take actions regarding their own health," said Dr. Stephen Phillips, ExxonMobil Medical Director for Global Issues and Projects. "We're also building local capacity to develop and deliver these services within the African community."

While malaria is the focus of this initiative, other health-related projects are funded where there is significant identified local need.

ExxonMobil has invested nearly $12 billion in African countries over the last five years alone and has been a long-time supporter of transparency and capacity-building initiatives on the continent. ExxonMobil has operated in Africa for more than 100 years.

    ExxonMobil Educating Women and Girls

    2005 Grant Awards: Phase One

The first Educating Women and Girls grants total US$1.6 million for nine projects in six countries where ExxonMobil has significant operations. The company worked with governments, communities, and local and international non-governmental organizations to identify and develop projects that improve access and remove barriers to education and economic empowerment for women and girls. The projects address locally identified areas of significant need, are culturally aligned with their target communities and aim to have long-lasting community benefits. The remaining grants in this $3 million program are under development and will be awarded later in the year.

Global - CEDPA

International scholarships for 25 female managers of community organizations in selected developing countries to attend a one-month training course in Washington, DC. The course will provide instruction on 'how to run an NGO' (financial and resource management, needs assessments, human resource management, etc.) as well as an ongoing mentoring program and an alumni network.

Global - Vital Voices

Support for the leadership training of female business and political leaders from emerging nations. This training teaches selected individuals to help build strong economies and support democracy by focussing on expanding women's roles in politics and civil society, increasing successful women's entrepreneurship, and fighting trafficking in women and girls.

Angola

The construction and resourcing of up to 24 community schools and classrooms in Kwanza Sul Province. The community school model leverages significant local community involvement in school construction, management, and teacher selection to ensure that schools are safe, accessible and free, eliminating some of the most prevalent obstacles to girls attending school. The program seeks out girls who are currently out of school and targets the underlying causes of their non-attendance.

Chad - UNICEF

The "child friendly" reconstruction and enhancement of 36 primary schools in Chad. This project employs a systematic methodology to ensure that each school removes barriers and disincentives for female attendance. Focus areas include providing classroom infrastructure and teaching materials, improved teacher training, improved safety, and adequate drinking water and latrine facilities. The project encourages community involvement and education and pursues targeted strategies to reach out-of-school girls.

Indonesia - Pakta Foundation, Yayasan Garis Tepi, Yayasan Dharma Bhakti Astra

Two projects focused on business development, micro-enterprise and skills development for women in post-tsunami Aceh. The projects will target out-of-work women and enhance their earning potential with business consultation, technical assistance and workshops on product development and marketing (e.g. handicraft market development). A third project will refurbish a training center in Bojonegoro Regency and provide computer training and English lessons for women.

Kazakhstan - USAID

The establishment of an Enterprise Development Center in Astana. The center, co-housed with a micro-finance organization, will provide potential entrepreneurs with strategic counseling services and training in financial management, marketing, and human resource management. With a focus on women owned and operated enterprises, the project will work to improve business capabilities, expand activities and create new jobs.

Qatar - Qatar Foundation, Social Development Center

An education and training program for women aged 19-45 who wish to enter the workforce. The training will build core workplace, business and life skills and prepare participants for the job search, interviewing, entering the workforce and interacting in the workplace. The program is targeted at women who are living in poverty and have limited formal education and/or previous employment. There will be three five-week courses per year.

    ExxonMobil Africa Health Initiative

    2005 Grant Awards include:

Academy for Educational Development / Netmark: To run the successful Help Us Help campaign in Cameroon, Ghana and Zambia. The campaign teaches preventative actions and distributes discount vouchers for long-lasting insecticide-treated bed-nets to pregnant women.

Africare: For community-based malaria intervention and early treatment in Angola (particularly focussed on refugees and internally displaced persons). The project includes community education on prevention and case management, volunteer training, and the provision of anti-malarial drugs and literature.

American Red Cross: For bed-net distribution in conjunction with national measles vaccination campaigns in Equatorial Guinea and Chad. Every adult who accompanies a child under five years to the vaccination post will receive a free bed-net.

Programme Germano Cameronais Sante / Sida: Community education relating to safe water and sanitation (cholera prevention) in disadvantaged communities in Cameroon.

Harvard Malaria Initiative: To research the mechanisms and genomics of the African malaria parasite, to identify novel drug targets, and to train African scientists in anti-malarial drug techniques.

Medicines for Malaria Venture: To support the development and discovery of new malaria drugs.

Medisend International: For the supply of medical, surgical, diagnostic and therapeutic medical supplies and equipment to hospitals in need in Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea.

MENTOR (Malaria Emergency Technical and Operational Support): To build the capacity of Angolan emergency health providers by disseminating and developing standardized use of Roll Back Malaria best practice in malaria prevention, diagnosis and case management.

Population Services International (PSI): For social marketing of long-lasting insecticide-treated bed-nets in Angola and Cameroon.

Project Hope: For a 'Village Health Bank' pilot program in Mozambique. The program will combine micro-credit lending with health education.

Safe Blood for Africa: For the continuation of efforts (training, testing, equipment) to ensure a disease-free blood supply in Nigeria.

Centre de Support en Sante Internationale de Institut Tropical Suisse au Tchad: For the rehabilitation of the Kome health clinic in Chad.

UN Foundation: AFRICA LIVE, the Roll Back Malaria Concert featuring Youssou N'Dour, Senegal, March 2005.

World Economic Forum - Global Health Initiative: To support the establishment of technical standards for workplace malaria management, create advocacy materials and negotiate public-private partnerships.

    CONTACT: ExxonMobil
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             Lauren Kerr, 972-444-1107
             or
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             Didier Lutsen, 32-2-722-4487

    SOURCE: Exxon Mobil Corporation