Classic Media & Tiger Aspect Align to Support African Children

LONDON/NEW YORK: Classic Media and Tiger Aspect Productions have established the Tinga Tinga Tales Fund, which will be devoted to enriching the lives of children in Africa, primarily though education.

The two companies, co-producers on the series, have agreed to contribute a portion of their net profits from the Tinga Tinga Tales brand to the fund. All Tinga Tinga Tales partners will have various opportunities to contribute to the fund. The art and stories within the series come from Africa.

Safaricom, Kenya’s leading integrated telecoms company, with Citizen TV, has signed on to sponsor the Tinga Tinga Tales series in Kenya and has set up The More You Know! The More You Grow! campaign to support the enhancement of primary education. On behalf of Tinga Tinga Tales, Safaricom has committed to building 48 new school classrooms in some of the most underprivileged districts in Kenya.

Children’s publisher Puffin has committed to donating new Tinga Tinga Tales books to The Pearson Education Programme, servicing early childhood educators who improve the lives of young people in East Africa, through its We Give Books program, a new online initiative that allows anyone with Internet access to give books, simply by reading online.

Classic Media and Tiger Aspect Productions will appoint a board to oversee the Tinga Tinga Tales Fund. The board will be made up of management from both companies as well as third parties, and will be announced shortly.

"We are pleased to announce the Tinga Tinga Tales Fund as a way to give back to the community that has inspired the beautiful art and stories of Tinga Tinga Tales," said Chloe Van den Berg, the executive VP of international at Classic Media. "Every product will carry the Tinga Tinga Tales Fund logo, demonstrating our partners’ commitment to the cause."

Claudia Lloyd, the creator and producer of Tinga Tinga Tales, commented: “It was always our intention for Tinga Tinga Tales to prove that a high-end, quality animation series could be produced out of Africa. We wanted to create an international commercial hit. The fact that we can engage all sorts of business partners to make beautiful product, make money AND make a difference just makes everything even more worthwhile.”