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Tag: Airtel Touching Lives

  • Airtel Touching Lives gets CSR leadership award

    Airtel Touching Lives (ATL) has been named the Most Innovative CSR Leadership Initiative by Marketing Edge, a leading publication focused on brands, media, advertising and communications in Nigeria.

    Head of Public Relations and Chioma Okolie, Lead, CSR, at Airtel Nigeria, Erhumu Bayagbon, received the award on behalf of the company at a colourful event held in Ikeja, Lagos to honour the ATL initiative, a corporate philanthropy initiative by the telco.

    The organizers of the award hailed Airtel for initiating the ATL platform, noting that the “MARKETING EDGE INNOVATIVE CSR LEADERSHIP AWARD was a product of painstaking review and assessment of the patriotic contributions of Airtel to the growth, development and continuing evolution of the Nigerian Economy, Nigerian Communities and the Nigerian People through its widely acclaimed and innovative Airtel Touching Lives CSR initiative.

    “Its impactful strides in the face of daunting challenges, especially over the years very well positioned it for such recognition and celebration.

    Airtel Touching Lives is an inspiring CSR initiative that offers practical relief, succour, hope, opportunities and credible platforms to liberate and empower the underprivileged, disadvantaged and hard to reach persons in the society.

    Currently in its fourth season, the activities of Airtel Touching Lives are recorded and produced for national television with a view to promoting the spirit of giving, self-sacrifice and love among Nigerians. The next episode of the Airtel Touching Lives television programme would be shown on Africa Magic Urban every Sunday.

    MARKETING EDGE is Nigeria’s leading brands and marketing publication which has been at the vanguard of brand journalism in the last fifteen years. During this period, it has served as a witness to the fortunes of players and gladiators in the integrated marketing communications industry and positioned as a valuable source of intelligence on the evolution, growth and development of the industry in Nigeria.

  • Airtel Touching Lives: Nigerians urged to nominate beneficiaries

    Airtel Touching Lives: Nigerians urged to nominate beneficiaries

    Telecommunication services provider, Airtel Nigeria has called on Nigerians to participate in the 4th edition of its flagship Touching Lives programme by nominating causes and persons who require help.

    There is definitely no better time than now to put in a nomination the Airtel Touching Lives as the ground-breaking CSR initiative, enters its 4th edition.

    According to the telco, you can nominate individuals, communities and groups by dialing 367 or sending an SMS to the Shortcode – 367 before the nomination window closes on 5th of January, 2018.

    Airtel Nigeria recently launched the fourth edition of its flagship CSR initiative, Touching Lives, designed to uplift the downtrodden and offer practical support to indigent Nigerians across the country.

    Speaking at the press launch of the initiative, in Lagos, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Nigeria, said the company is committed to helping the less privileged in the society.

    “While the Government and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) cannot do it all, we have a responsibility to contribute our quota in making Nigeria a better place.

    “As we commence the fourth edition, we are calling on well-meaning Nigerians to nominate causes and persons who require help. The process is simple; once you nominate an individual or cause, our team will review and assess the situation and determine if a follow-up visit will be required”, Mr. Ogunsanya said.

    “Nominations are open to everyone via the 367 Shortcode. Also emails can be sent to touchinglives@ng.airtel.com

    “Together, we all can make our society a better place if we join hands and collaborate to uplift the downtrodden around us”, he stated.

    Previous seasons of Airtel Touching Lives have not only addressed a wide spectrum of issues but also strived to inculcate in Nigerians the spirit of giving in order to contribute to the wellbeing of their fellow Nigerians.

    One of the memorable episodes in Season 3 was the story of Olusegun Aina family, who recently gave birth to a set of twins (a boy and a girl) after losing three children to an inferno and rendered homeless. Airtel built and donated a multi-million Naira, ultra-modern 2-bedroom apartment to the family and also paid for all outstanding medical bills incurred while undergoing treatment of injuries sustained in the fire.

    Other highlights of the last edition also include the donation of laptops, digital voice recorder and other gadgets to Bethesda Home and School for the blind; procurement of prosthetic leg for Emmanuel Onyeka and Scholarship for his University education. A 9-year-old cancer patient, Pillar Egona also received N3m for her chemotherapy treatment.

    The Touching Lives CSR initiative has impacted lives of thousands of Nigerians. The company, over the years, has provided potable water for several starved communities, built maternal and health centres for remote communities, built and renovated schools to provide quality education to the less privileged.

  • Homeless Teenager Receives N1m Airtel Scholarship

    Homeless Teenager Receives N1m Airtel Scholarship

    Airtel Nigeria has joined in the effort to rehabilitate destitute children who are currently roaming the streets of Lagos.

    In the third episode of its Touching Lives Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, which aired on television at the weekend, the telecom giant awarded a scholarship worth one million Naira to a promising teenage boy whose continued stay in school had become uncertain.

    Having lost his father and with no one else to raise him, Rotimi Azeez had hustled his way to the country’s commercial capital in a desperate move to raise money for his education.

    However, a few months after his arrival, he became homeless and at the mercy of the city’s caprices. “You never know when it’s going to rain on you all night because you can never predict the rain,” he said.

    But he was soon rescued by the Street Child Care and Welfare Initiative (SCCWI), a non-governmental organisation devoted to vagrant children.

    Speaking to Airtel Touching Lives, Comfort Alli, president of SCCWI, said the problem of destitute children had become a public emergency. She noted that more than 250,000 minors are currently drifting around in the metropolis. “The problem is bigger than the government of Lagos State,” she said. “Everybody has to be on ground to make sure that they fight this problem.”

    This is why, according to her, the charity elected to focus on bringing relief to runaway and abandoned kids. Some of the wandering youths had become “fathers of street children” and many were exposed to drugs, homosexuality, and life-threatening diseases such as HIV.

    Before the 116-year-oldwas rescued, he was “very wild, shattered, and malnourished; he probably would have become an armed robber or pickpocket,” said Folake Shittu, a senior counsellor at the aid organisation.

    Now, three years later, “his attitude has changed, he has better self esteem, and improved academic performance,” said Victor Adejunle, who had been Azeez’s mentor at SCCWI for more than two years.

    But since the economy slid into recession in 2016, donations to the NGO have dwindled significantly. For this reason, Alli explained, paying for Azeez’s schooling would no longer be as easy as it used to be. Although the boy had always hoped to become a lawyer, “if he doesn’t get help, he’ll be back to square one,” she said.

    While accepting the Airtel intervention, Azeez said the grant would change his life. “I don’t think anyone in my family has ever received a scholarship of one million naira. I’m happy today. It’s a good thing,” he said. 

    The telco company noted that ‘Touching Lives’ will be back this weekend to its regular schedule on local and international television networks.

    “On Saturday, the fourth episode of season three will premiere on Africa Magic Urban at 6:30pm and on Africa Magic Family at 7pm. It will later air on RaveTV from 9-9:30pm.

    “The next day, Africa Magic World will show a rerun of the episode from 6-6:30pm. NTA Network and ArewaTV will do the same from 6:00-6.30pm and from 7-7:30pm, respectively,” it summed.

  • Brila FM endorses Airtel touching lives 3

    Brila FM endorses Airtel touching lives 3

    • Urges Nigerians to support Airtel in its bid to change lives positively.

    Chairman and CEO of Brila FM, Dr. Larry Izamoje, has announced the station’s commitment to promoting
    Nigeria’s leading Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative Airtel Touching Lives.
    Izamoje, who made this declaration at the launch of Airtel Touching Lives season 3 in Lagos recently gave examples of top footballers whose lives were changed as a result of giving.

    He cited popular sport icons like Christano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and even, Nigeria’s Kanu Nwankwo and Austin Jay Jay Okocha who are playing their own part in giving back to society.

    “The philosopher, Socrates, said an unexamined life is not worth living. Airtel is not just doing business but also examining the society and this is commendable because we need people to look at lives that must be helped. Airtel has gone over and beyond its core duty through this initiative Airtel Touching Lives.

    “To support this commendable feat, Brila FM will partner with Airtel to promote Airtel Touching Lives in the media space,” Dr Izamoje said.

    Izamoje congratulated the MD & CEO and staff of Airtel for this laudable project and encouraged the telco to continue doing all it takes to make a positive impact in the society. He charged Nigerians to support Airtel in their bid to touch more lives thus making Nigeria a better place.

    Speaking at the event, the MD & CEO, Airtel Nigeria, Segun Ogunsanya, thanked the Chairman & CEO of Brila FM.

    He said: “We are immensely grateful to the media especially Brila FM who has chosen to help us tell a successful story of Airtel Touching Lives season 3”.

    Still speaking on the initiative, Ogunsanya said that following the remarkable impact and successes recorded in the first and second seasons of its revolutionary CSR intervention, Airtel is motivated to kick-start the third Season of Airtel Touching Lives.

    “At Airtel, we believe that to be a great company we must be good company, and we are very much committed to earning our social license – the love and acceptance of the various communities and people we serve,” Ogunsnaya said.

    Airtel Touching Lives has been able to offer practical relief, succour, hope, opportunities and credible platforms to liberate and empower the underprivileged, disadvantaged and hard to reach persons in the society. Its previous seasons has seen the telco come to the aid of individuals, families and communities with various pressing issues that demanded immediate solution.

    With the launch of Airtel Touching Lives season 3, well-meaning individuals are encouraged to nominate persons, families or communities by calling or texting using the short code 367.

    Nominations can also be sent to airteltouchinglives@ng.airtel.com as well as Airtel stores nationwide.

    More information on nominations can be found on www.airteltouchinglives.com.

  • Nominations open for Airtel touching lives season 3

    Nominations open for Airtel touching lives season 3

    …restates commitment towards less privileged Nigerians.

    Following the remarkable impact and success recorded in the Seasons 1 and 2 of its revolutionary Corporate Social responsibility (CSR) intervention tagged Touching Lives, Airtel Nigeria, has announced the Season 3 in line with its commitment to making sustainable impact on the lives of disadvantaged people, the needy and communities across Nigeria.

    Speaking at the media announcement/unveiling of Season 3 of the life-changing social investment initiative on Thursday, Airtel’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya, explained that through Touching Lives, the telecoms firm offered practical relief, succour, hope, opportunities and credible platforms to liberate and empower the underprivileged, disadvantaged and hard to reach persons in the society.

    In his speech, Ogunsanya said: “At Airtel we believe that to be a great company we must first be a good company, and we are very much committed to earning our social license – the love and acceptance of the various communities and people we serve.

    “When we launched the maiden edition of Touching Lives, major stakeholders especially the media wanted to know if the initiative was a one-off and if the launch was just for media exposure and brand building. Our responses haven’t changed – Airtel Nigeria is committed to creating positive impact in the various communities it operates in and we are genuinely inspired to uplift the less privileged around us as well as create prosperity platforms for many Nigerians on a long-term, sustainable basis,” Mr. Ogunsanya said.

    Enumerating how the telco’s multi-million Naira CSR initiative has brought positive changes in the lives of thousands of Nigerians, Ogunsanya stated that through Airtel Touching Lives, the company provided potable water for several starved communities, built maternal and health centres for remote communities, built and renovated schools to provide quality education to the less privileged.

    Ogunsanya, while explaining that Airtel Nigeria is not intending to be the only company touching lives, since there are millions of people it cannot reach for different reasons, called on corporate organizations and individuals to consider ways to complement the initiative.

    His words: “Part of the challenges for us is that we cannot entertain all the entries received. What we can only do is consider the Need, Impact and Affordability of the initiative for 36 people and communities out of several millions. That’s why Airtel is inviting more companies to come on this journey.

    “This initiative gives room for positive pressure from neighbouring communities and government. If we adopt a school and transform it for good, government can take up the surrounding schools. That’s what we are talking about.”

    In a goodwill message, publisher of Business Day Newspaper, Mr. Frank Aigbogun, commended Airtel for giving voice to the voiceless, supporting the down-trodden and bringing smiles to the faces of needy Nigerians, observing that the telecoms firm was not compelled to invest in charity, but inspired purely by love for the less privileged people.

    Similarly, Chief Executive Officer of Brila FM, Dr. Larry Izamoje, who pledged support to propagate the essence and accomplishment of Airtel Touching Lives via Brila FM radio stations across Nigeria, noted that the CSR initiative has become one of the most notable platforms for empowering disadvantaged people to achieve their goals in life.

    Izamoje commended the company for the good initiative while recalling the narratives of how CRS touched and transformed the lives, hopes and aspirations of great sportsmen like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and a few others.

    Recounting how it happened for him, one of the beneficiaries, Mr David Anyaele, Executive Director, Centre for Citizens with disabilities said that the impact of Airtel Touching Lives initiative has helped him know that everyone can touch lives. “It was the Airtel Touching Lives season 1 that made me know that there are over 25million people living with physical challenges like me and I cannot afford to let them remain like that. After Airtel touched my life, I stepped out to also touch the lives of other people. Thanks you Airtel,” he summed.

    As Season 3 takes off, Airtel urged kind-hearted Nigerians to nominate persons, families or communities by calling or sending text messages using the short code 367 on Airtel network. Further information on the initiative and how to nominate can be found on the website. “Nominations can also be sent to airteltouchinglives@ng.airtel.com as well as submitted at any Airtel store nationwide.”