Women in Travel Retail+ meeting at TFWA Cannes.

Women in Travel Retail+ has far exceeded its donation target for its elected charity for 2024, the FRASI Bike to School project. The charity was nominated by WiTR+ member and Essence Corp’s Vice President, Patricia Bona.

In a country where children walk a considerable distance to get to school, its goal is to help prevent girls and boys from dropping out of schools by providing them with means of safe transportation.

Dire economic circumstances in Sri Lanka are leaving children with no option but to quit school – losing out on education and, in many cases, their only daily guaranteed meal.

In response to this problem, FRASI launched the Bike to School project to provide students with a bicycle plus accessories and training so they have everything they need to get to and from school safely and efficiently.

WiTR+’s goal was to raise €15,000, which would provide 100 children with bicycles but, thanks to donations from Victoria’s Secret, Brown-Forman and many donations from attendees to WiTR+’s various networking events throughout the year, the charity has collectively managed to raise €25,800, enough for bikes for 200 children.

Bona said: “Thanks to WITR+ members’ generosity, our initial goal of delivering 100 bicycles to students was surpassed, and FRASI is now organizing a second delivery focusing especially on young girls.

Together we did it! We are grateful that 200 students will receive access to education, be safe on the roads and be proud to own a bicycle.”

Women in Travel Retail+ (WiTR+) was created in 2006 to recognise the contribution of women to the travel retail industry, past, present and future and as a forum for the women in the travel retail industry. 

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