One of the nation’s frontline telecom companies, Airtel Nigeria, has reiterated its commitment to continue to prosecute its ‘giving back’ initiatives despite the nation’s harsh business environments.
Speaking at the flag- off of the third edition of its CSR programme, Airtel Touching Lives, in Lagos, recently, the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya stated that the company was not contemplating reviewing, downwards, its spends on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities, despite the challenging times.
While expressing the determination of the company to improve on the feats achieved in the past two editions, the Airtel boss stated that one of the corporate missions and essence of the brand is to always give back to the society, noting that programme, since its introduction, in the past few years, had impacted positively the lives of the less privileged in the society.
‘There is joy in giving. That is where we derive our strength, and the more reason we will not allow whatever is happening on the economic front to affect our CSR spend,’ stated Ogunsanya.
He however appealed to other corporate organisations to emulate the telecoms service provider by providing support for the less privileged in the society, and putting them on solid economic platforms.
Responding to the gesture, one of the beneficiaries of the first edition of the CSR initiative, Mr. David Anyaele of the Centre for Citizens with Disabilities, commended the telecoms service provider for identifying with the less privileged, through the initiative.
Anyaele, one of those Nigerians that got their limbs amputated by the Liberian warlords, during the country’s civil war then, explained that Airtel had, through the Touching Lives initiative, helped his organisation in pushing the course of the less privileged in the society.
‘For instance, the brand has equipped the organisation with computer and other materials that have enabled us table a bill for disable people in the national assembly and got a hearing from both the Senate and House of Representatives.
‘If not for such interventions and support, it would have been difficult for us to pursue such venture and get a hearing,’ Anyaele said.