Children from Urban Community Development Centre spend a day at Cathay Pacific Airways city office in Mumbai

As part of the Cathay Pacific Airways’ ‘Enriching Lives’ project, the Cathay Pacific Airways team in Mumbai invited over 40 children from Urban Community Development Centre (UCDC) to spend a day at their office. The children were treated to a movie screening in the conference room with snacks and refreshments. This is the first activity of its kind for these children and for the Cathay Pacific Airways team.

The Cathay Pacific Airways Enriching Lives project is an umbrella project where the airline works towards the welfare of under privileged children all over India. With a vision to provide basic necessities to these children across the country, the airline works with various organisations in different cities. In the recent years, under this project , Cathay Pacific Airways along with sister airline Dragonair has worked with Habitat for Humanity in Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru, Muktangan in Mumbai, Udavam Karangal and Bala Ashramam in Chennai, Naandi Foundation and Manchikalalu Organisation in Hyderabad, Butterflies in Delhi and Calcutta Rescue and Disha Foundation in Kolkata.

Urban Community Development Centre (UCDC) is a centre situated in Bandra and caters to the socio economic welfare that serves the weaker sections of society. Every year UCDC conducts an annual summer camp for the children of migrant workers and street children to keep them occupied during the summer vacation. Cathay Pacific Airways, this year, has also sponsored the grocery and provisions to prepare meals for the children during the summer camp.

Cathay Pacific Airways, Regional Sales & Marketing Manager, South Asia, Rajesh Menon says, “At Cathay Pacific and Dragonair we are committed to contributing to the community wherever possible. It’s great to work with organisations like Urban Community Development Centre that support a noble cause. This is one of our many endeavors to do our bit for society. Giving them an experience similar to visiting a cinema hall or a multiplex brought a smile on each child’s face which surely made it an enjoyable day interacting with these children. We are delighted to be able to contribute and would like to plan more of such events in the future.”

UCDC Director, Father. Jose Arayathel says, “When Cathay Pacific came forward to join hands with us, doubtless to say, we have seen the green shoots of our philanthropic activities grow taller, reminding us that together we can achieve greatness and bring about greater good to the society. When it comes to the sphere of empowerment and enhancement, the sea seems so great and our boat so small. We may have hundreds of challenges, with such activities and collaboration hundreds of oars are added to our little boat.”