Barely one month after launching its revolutionary CSR programme dubbed Touching Lives, leading telecoms operator, Airtel Nigeria, has revealed that it has received over 90,000 entries from well-meaning Nigerians across the country.
According to Airtel, the bulk of the entries received are passionate pleas, nominating disadvantaged persons or group of people needing help; major community problems requiring urgent intervention and other special cases ranging from health issues, scholarships, and renovation of schools, economic empowerment interventions and skill acquisition programme, among several others.
Speaking on the high success rate of the on-going call for entries, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director of Airtel Nigeria, Segun Ogunsanya, described the response from Nigerians as massive and highly encouraging, saying it underscores the trust and confidence many people have for the Touching Lives programme.
“We are thrilled by the interest, excitement and level of participation of Nigerians in our Touching Lives programme. Without a doubt, this indicates that we have the enormous support of well-intentioned Nigerians just as it is a glowing testimony to the fact that we are on the right path with the Touching Lives programme.
The massive response, Ogunsanya explained, clearly shows the enormity of challenges facing our people and the need to provide support for the less privileged no matter how little because “a little help will go a long way in making a difference in the lives of others or the community.”
Airtel Touching Lives seeks to identify underprivileged persons with specific challenges, pains and struggles with the ultimate objective of helping to empower and enrich the lives of these individuals.
It is a more holistic approach to CSR, covering humanitarian, education, economic empowerment and other aspects of life needing support. The idea is to encourage Nigerians to call attention to individuals, groups, communities and projects needing support.
At the launch of the programme on Wednesday, July 16th, 2014, Airtel had announced the call for entries, stating that the window for nomination will close on Sunday, August 24th, 2014.
The programme allows Nigerians to nominate disadvantaged persons who are in need of care or special interventions. Entries can be sent in via SMS, phone calls to the short code 947 or via email to: touchinglives@ng.airtel.com.
Also, nomination letters not more than 1000 words can also be submitted at Airtel Showrooms, shops and dealers outlets nationwide. Interested people can also go to Airtel Facebook page and Airtel CSR/Touching Lives web page for further information.
Airtel Touching Lives Season 1 is scheduled to run on both satellite and terrestrial TV stations as a 13-week series with a weekly feature of two individual stories of beneficiaries of the project. It opens with a call for entries from the focus groups over a period of four weeks.
