In
its bid to support global efforts aimed at stamping out Ebola in West
Africa, telecoms operator, Airtel Nigeria, has announced a new SMS short
code, 7979, that will help raise funds and drive awareness for the
initiative.
Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director
of Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya, said the telecoms firm had
partnered with the African Union towards this end.
He said the initiative, operating under
the hash tag #AfricaAgainstEbola, would use the 7979 dedicated platform
to raise funds for the deployment of African health workers to affected
countries.
He said in order to support the
initiative, Airtel customers are encouraged to send ‘StopEbola’ as an
SMS to 7979 at N100 per SMS.
“As a major stakeholder with operations
in 17 African countries, we are intensely interested in the communities
and people we serve, just as we are passionate about creating platforms
to uplift the less privileged.
“This partnership with AU provides a fine
opportunity for all of us at Airtel Nigeria to join in kicking Ebola
out of Africa. We are committed to the partnership with the African
Union on this initiative, as it is in sync with our corporate social
responsibility strategy of touching and saving lives.
“All monies realised from the SMS
campaign will be donated in full to the AU Fund that has been set up to
kick Ebola out of Africa,” Ogunsanya said.
The CEO had earlier donated mobile
phones, sim cards and airtime to all the 290 Nigerian doctors, nurses
and other care-givers who have volunteered to join the fight against
Ebola.
He urged other private organisations to
emulate Airtel in the effort to raise funds and awareness for the fight
against the disease that has claimed over 9,637 lives across West
Africa.
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