Video I

Video III

Immediately after the disastrous quake occurred, Bayer donated much-needed medical supplies, vector control and crop protection products, as well as employee cash donations and corporate matching totaling more than 14.3 million yuan.

Their philanthropic actions continued with further donations. By the end of August 2008, Bayer had contributed 20 standard classrooms, 50 dormitory houses and one clinic to the Sichuan Technology and Business College.

Michael Koenig (middle), president of Bayer Greater China Group, and students of Sichuan Technology and Business College celebrate the start of the new semester in 2008.[File photo]

Phase II is "a little bit more of a long-term" project, according to Koenig, who stressed the importance of education, particularly in disaster-stricken areas. The Sichuan Technology and Business College was able to reopen the school in time for a new semester under Bayer Cares Phase II.

"I was really impressed by the sincerity and by the joy of the students and faculty there," Koenig said, recalling the experience of attending the school's re-opening ceremony last September.

Aiming to address "the soft needs" of the Sichuan people, the Phase III volunteer project was launched in October 2008. There have been 114 Bayer volunteers from cities all over China offering service work (22,488 service hours) so far.

"Bayer volunteers have to cover a significant part of travel costs and fully engage themselves for a week under not very comfortable circumstances," Koenig explained.