BHP Billiton China staff and their families visited the Changzhou Social Welfare Institution on February 13 to share their best wishes for the Chinese New Year with the local orphans.

A special activity day was arranged at the orphanage, where the company's staff and their families spent time playing games with the children and handed out presents such as books, art supplies, and toys for the Chinese New Year.

The visit was organized in conjunction with the Half the Sky Foundation which BHP Billiton China has been supporting for the past four years through annual contributions towards HTS' three programs at the Institution: the Baby sisters Infant Nurture Program, the Little Sisters Preschool and the Big Sisters Program. Aiming to enrich the lives and enhance the prospects for orphaned children in China, HTS creates and operates infant nurture and preschool programs, provides personalized learning for older children and establishes loving permanent foster care and guidance for children with disabilities at 30 state-run social welfare institutions around China.

Charles Liu, marketing manager at BHP Billiton China, said, "Seeing is believing. Before the visit, it was hard for me to imagine these children's living environment. But seeing those orphans drawing, singing and playing, I can see they are benefiting greatly from the good work of SWI and HTS. I am also proud that BHP Billiton China is part of the foundation that supports the healthy development of these children."

As one of the welfare institutions supported by HTS, Changzhou SWI was established in 1957 and has been the home to orphaned children for nearly 50 years. Currently this SWI looks after around 100 orphans, 80% of whom suffer from disabilities including hepatitis B, cleft lip and palate, intellectual disabilities and epilepsy.

"Chinese New Year is the time for loved ones to get together and share happiness. It's great to have the support of BHP Billiton so that we can provide real care for them and foster their growth," said Chen Guo Qing, director of  Changzhou SWI.

BHP Billiton participates in a wide range of sustainable development activities and community programs in China, supporting China's effort in animal conservation, biodiversity research, government official's public policy training and education. In addition to the HTS programmes, the company also provides support to the Giant Panda research, preservation of the Great Wall, Lijiang Botanical Research Station and a number of other projects.

BHP Billiton is one of the world's largest diversified natural resources company, with some 38,000 employees across 100 operations in approximately 25 countries. Its operations encompass a broad range of commodities including aluminium, energy coal, metallurgical coal, copper, manganese, iron ore, uranium, nickel, diamonds, silver and titanium minerals, oil, gas, and liquefied natural gas. In 2005, BHP Billiton became the Diversified Minerals and Medals Sponsor of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games, and will provide financial support to the Beijing Olympic Games and the Beijing Paralympic Games as well as the raw materials for the Olympic medals and the Paralympic medals.

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