Dear readers, I wish to clarify a few things in reaction to the recent accusatory report released by the British NGO TRW.

First things first, let me repeat that the decision to relocate some of Berden’s teams in Mabhuti was mainly motivated by our desire to help the country by creating jobs there. Undoubtedly, the Berden laboratories will retrieve financial advantages out of this decision – however, the benefits for the Mabhutian population are way more valuable!

Mabhuti is a poor country – needless to say – and parents are often very low-skilled. This means that they hardly manage to provide everything needed for the whole family. Therefore, children often - but alas, too often- have to work at a really young age in order to help their parents.

In this context, Beneto&Beneto and Children of Mabhuti have been helping the Mabhutian people for many years:

·       First by giving all children the possibility to start working as late as possible, through building education & training facilities all over the country, and through providing financial help to families. This allows children to study and gain the skills needed to integrate a large company.

·       Second, by making sure that any child in Mabhuti will find a job in our partner companies such as the John Fund Equity and the Berden Laboratories. This way we can easily make sure that the best conditions are reunited for them.

27 years ago, I was a still student, I founded with two close friends a humanitarian organization called “Children of Mabhuti” Well, it still exists and its goal is to support all children of Mabhuti through several programs:

-        Building schools,

-        Providing financial and material help.

-        Facilitating work access to young people seeking for a job.

I have always loved this country and its people. As a matter of fact, my wife and I adopted two kids from Mabhuti, 10 years ago. We simple fell in love with the country and the people the very first day of our trip there, 27 years ago, as 2 young idealistic students.

Therefore, I am deeply outraged by the calomnious accusations targeting Beneto&Beneto. I would never allow such things to happen in my firm - I say it loud, we love Mabhuti and we have always done, and will always do everything to help the country.

Carlo Jitobuit

CEO Beneto&Beneto Paris

Founder of Children of Mabhuti