Freetown’s biggest slum, Kroo Bay is becoming the biggest beneficiary of Orange Sierra Leone’s donations. The community yesterday benefitted food and non-food items from the leading and biggest telecoms company. Orange Foundation is a subset of Orange Sierra Leone that reaches out to those in need with particular focus on the most vulnerable.
Several bags of rice and baby packs worth millions of Leones were donated to residents and lactating mothers. Director of Orange Foundation, Jestina Betts said the donation was to better the lives of Kroo Bay people especially pregnant women and lactating mothers. Madam Betts fondly known as ‘MADAM GEE’ touched on the health situation in the slum community noting that it was appalling before this time.
“There were pre and post natal deaths in Kroo Bay Community. We want to do impactful things because we love and care,” Madam Betts assured. She went on to state that Kroo Bay community suffered the most in terms of child mortality adding that it was a move to stem the tide, that the company constructed a health clinic in the community. Madam Betts further assured that they were coming back to the community the week after for further donations.
“We are determined to better the lives of women in Kroo Bay community,” the Orange foundation Director assured. She entreated pregnant women to visit clinics and get the required health checks.
“Pregnant women must visit clinics at least four times before childbirth,” she cautioned.
Madam Betts presented three lactating mothers who, she said, attended to all visits in the community and thus qualified for the the foundation’s gesture. The three qualified women got baby packs that would serve them throughout their lactating period.
One of the suckling mothers appreciated Orange Sierra Leone for the donation. Orange Foundation Director called on women to call on the foundation about any pressing issue that affects them. In her contribution, Head of Public Relations, Annie Wonnie Katta told beneficiaries that the donation was a ‘give back’ to society.
“Since we are working very hard to ensure that Sierra Leone enjoys telecoms services that are enjoyed in any part of the world, we have to give back to Sierra Leone,” he said.
Apart from donating to the women, she went on, the company also working towards having a building for the benefits of everyone. Section Chief for Kroo Bay community, Chief Pa Alimamy Kargbo commended Orange Sierra for its good work in the community. The chief thanked the company not only for the donation but also for the quality health service Kroo Bay community enjoys.
“The health service has gone a long way in helping my people,” he said.
To further strengthen ties between Orange Sierra Leone and the community, Chief Kargbo appealed to the company for a pre-school. “The Kroo Bay community is ready to sacrifice land for the building project,” he assured.
The success story Kroo Bay community is witnessing today came out of a promise made by Orange Sierra Leone about five months ago. The promise was made during the launch of the health project witnessed by the Minister of Health, Austin Demby and other senior health professionals.
During the launching ceremony, the company did assure the community that it would mitigate health threats in the community. The project was meant to complement government’s free healthcare policy which targets pregnant women, lactating mothers and under-five children.
About two months ago, the Orange Sierra Leone women’s wing extended alms to lactating mothers of Princess Maternity Christian Hospital also known as Cottage Hospital. Several baby packs were offered to them to ease their problems.
Orange Sierra Leone has made it presence felt not only in health but in the education sector. The company recently constructed three preschools in three districts in Sierra Leone to catch the children young. The schools are no difference in standards from those constructed in Ghana and other African countries.
Since 2017 to date, Orange Sierra Leone has been spending USD150M in CSR. It is the only business entity that comes down to vulnerable communities to tend to the poor with respect.
Although the company takes pride in a viable CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility), it does not lose focus of its enhancement in telecoms services. Since it entered Sierra Leone in 2016, the company has got a foothold.
It is spreading fast with 460 sites countrywide. Residents in remote communities where communication services were non-existent now enjoy communication services. Thanks to Orange Sierra Leone. With Orange in the communication world, everything is possible.