Henry Wanyoike to participate in Airtel Delhi Half Marathon 2008

Company Brief

New Delhi, November 04, 2008

Henry Wanyoike, a world track champion and an Olympic gold medallist is participating in the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon this year, to raise awareness for Standard Chartered Bank’s CSR initiative – ‘Seeing is Believing’. Participants from the Indian Blind Sports Association will also share the space with Henry.

Henry is currently the Goodwill Ambassador for Seeing is Believing and runs with his sighted guide Joseph Kibunja. As part of the fund and awareness raising efforts for its ‘Seeing is Believing’ programme, the Bank had invited Henry Wanyoike, to participate in the “Airtel Delhi Half Marathon 2008”. He has pledged his time and money to the cause of restoration of sight to one million people globally.

Commenting on his participation in the Marathon, Henry Wanyoike , Goodwill Ambassador for Seeing is Believing stated, “I cannot adequately express my gratitude to Standard Chartered Bank for what they have done for me over the years”, he says. “They have given me new confidence to face my situation and explore my potential as no other organisation has done for me.”

Henry Wanyoike is the visually impaired Paralympic gold medallist and 2005 nominee of the prestigious Laureus World Sports Award. He finished the 10km road race of the inaugural 2003 Nairobi Marathon in just over 30 minutes with his guide. After his initial victory, he was quickly adopted as a Goodwill Ambassador for Standard Chartered. Under this sponsorship of the bank’s ‘Seeing is Believing’ initiative, Henry has participated in marathons across Mumbai, Hong Kong, Nairobi and Singapore. He performs exceptionally each time and supports raising awareness of blindness around the world.

During his visit to India, Henry will also be visiting the Indian Blind Sports Association in New Delhi and spending time with the residents of the school.

Seeing is Believing

Seeing is Believing is Standard Chartered Bank’s initiative to combat avoidable blindness. It has already helped restore sight to a million people and by 2010 it will have reached 10 million people through a mixture of preventative and curative treatment.

In India, since 2004, Seeing is Believing has benefitted over 0.5 mn people across the country through cataract surgeries. By 2010, we expect another 1.4 mn people in the country to benefit through primary eye care services and cataract surgeries.

In the new phase of the initiative, ‘A New Vision ’, Standard Chartered aims to restore sight to twenty million people through sustainable eye care services across 20 global cities by 2015. In partnership with leading eye care NGOs, the initiative will fund the development of sustainable eye care services in 20 disadvantaged urban areas, giving poor, marginalised populations access to cataract surgery, preventive treatment, and specialised medical interventions. Funds are raised through staff, customers and associates and will go directly to the projects. The Bank is proud to match all donations to meet the US$ 20 million target. In India, as part of the Seeing is Believing : A New Vision, projects have been identified in New Delhi and Hyderabad aiming to cater to the marginalised people living in these cities.

For further information, please contact:

Standard Chartered Bank

Beverly Mathews

Corporate Affairs

Email: beverly.mathews@standardchartered.com

Tel: 022-22625245