20,000 Swiss francs were raised for JustWorld International during the Hublot Polo Gold Cup, held August 16 to 19, at the Gstaad Polo Club in Switzerland. Photo courtesy of JustWorld International

August 24, 2012 – Gstaad, Switzerland – The Gstaad Polo Club played host to JustWorld International’s first ever polo fundraising event, raising 20,000 Swiss francs during the prestigious Hublot Polo Gold Cup held August 16 to 19 in Gstaad, Switzerland. JustWorld International is a not-for-profit, humanitarian organization, which works as a catalyst for positive change in the developing world by helping impoverished children.

Four teams took to the field to battle for top spot, all while raising awareness and funds for JustWorld International. For each goal scored, the tournament donated 100 francs to benefit children at JustWorld’s project site in Cambodia. The announcers also took each goal as an opportunity to raise awareness about JustWorld’s programs, making each one count for so much more than simply a single point scored in the game.

A total of 54 goals were scored over the two-day competition, raising 5,400 francs. Further donations by Gstaad Polo Club President and tournament organizer Pierre Genecand as well as other generous donors brought the total amount raised to 20,000 Swiss francs.

“It was a great opportunity for us to help such a wonderful cause,” said Genecand. “We wanted to give funds to a foundation that we knew would make the best use of it. By supporting Jessica Newman and JustWorld, we know the money we raised will go directly to those who need it.”

Jessica Newman, founder of JustWorld International, said, “The tournament was amazing! Not one stone was left unturned and every detail was attended to, creating one of the most beautiful and well organized events I have ever been to. Despite the intense heat of the day, I was covered in goose bumps from the emotion of Pierre and the winning team’s generosity. I could not have been more thrilled at the outcome of the event and the interest of the polo world. So many people now want to know how they can help develop awareness of JustWorld within the polo community.”

All funds raised at the Hublot Polo Gold Cup will go to benefit the children at JustWorld’s project site in Cambodia, where JustWorld has helped build two schools, serving more than 650 children from kindergarten through grand nine who would not otherwise have access to education. Additional programs in Cambodia provide medical supplies and proper treatment to students through a children’s clinic, a daily meal and clean drinking water, and 5kg of rice a month for each child’s family, to reduce the need to send children to gather food scraps or earn money by picking garbage at the nearby dump.

Founded in 2003, JustWorld International is a not-for-profit, humanitarian organization which funds life-changing nutrition, health and hygiene, education, and leadership and cultural development programs for impoverished children in Cambodia, Honduras, Guatemala, and Brazil. There are currently more than 500 Rider and Technical Official Ambassadors representing 40 different countries, whose efforts to support JustWorld’s projects have helped raise more than $4.5 million to date. For more information on JustWorld International, please visit www.justworldinternational.org.