LONDON – Prince’s Trust International on February 8 announced its first Principal Benefactor, Marianne Metropoulos making a multi-million-dollar pledge to support global work of the charity over five years.

Launched in 2015, Prince’s Trust International was founded by HRH The Prince of Wales to build on the work of The Prince’s Trust, the UK’s leading youth charity. Now working in 13 countries covering Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, and the Middle East, Prince’s Trust International has supported over 20,000 young people globally through its education, employability, vocational training, and enterprise programs.

The $1 million initial contribution made by Mrs. Metropoulos has already been instrumental this year in Greece, where the charity has been working since 2018 and delivers its full portfolio of employment and entrepreneurship opportunities. Since beginning work in the country, over 70% of the young people who have enrolled in Prince’s Trust International employability programs have moved forward with significantly improved career opportunities.

Even during the height of the pandemic, partners in Greece rapidly adapted and innovated to deliver virtually to young people, with no breaks in schedule. Subsequently over 200 young people have found work through Prince’s Trust International programs in Greece since March 2020. Virtual delivery has also allowed programs to reach more rural areas of Northern Greece where young people have been hit hardest by the falling labor demand.

Alongside employability, Prince’s Trust International programs support entrepreneurship innovation both in Athens, and in Summer 2020, a new program was launched on Crete to give young people the opportunity to develop the skills and confidence to launch their own enterprises.

The impact and subsequent economic fall-out of the COVID-19 pandemic has hit young people especially hard. 1 in 6 young people are now out of work across the world. Prince’s Trust International relies on the vision and support of philanthropists such as Mrs. Metropoulos to build upon the success of programs and to invest in the futures of young people.

Mrs. Metropoulos shared: “As I learned of the initiatives His Royal Highness was implementing, I wanted to become involved in some way to help young, deserving youth to be a part of something so important and empowering.

“Ultimately, to open the possibilities of achievement they could realize with the opportunities the Prince’s Trust International could and does provide. I am proud to support these very valuable educational programs in my country of origin. Education is the key to a nation’s future, particularly in these rapidly changing technological times and I look forward to working with Prince’s Trust International on programs in other countries over the coming years.”