GlaxoSmithKline, the world's fourth largest pharmaceutical company, announced in a press conference in Kenya on Thursday that it has teamed up with the charity Save the Children to train more health care workers to give vaccines and distribute medications.

The announcement came as a surprise to many, as the African charity publicly admonished GlaxoSmithKline in the past for the high price it placed on HIV drugs in developing countries.

"Many years ago I used to campaign against GlaxoSmithKline and pressed them to lower AIDS drug prices," Justin Forsyth, Save the Children's Chief executive, told the Guardian. "We gave them quite a hard time, but GlaxoSmithKline has changed enormously under Andrew's leadership."

Sir Andrew Witty, CEO of GlaxoSmithKline, has taken small steps to help developing countries even prior to partnering with Save the Children. But this partnership, which is to run five years, will pump about $23 million into the charity whose mission is to provide food, medical care, and education to children around the world.

"A partnership of this scale gives us an opportunity to do something amazing," said Witty.

Still, skeptics wonder if the GlaxoSmithKline is partnering with the charity for publicity or because of a genuine interest in its mission. Only time will tell.

Forsyth, however, believes this is a positive move in the right direction for the company. "This groundbreaking partnership involves both organizations working in genuinely new ways to save the lives of a million children," he said.