Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) known in Public Relations as Corporate philanthropy is meant for the grassroot and vulnerable communities. It is the means by which business organisations give back to communities in which they operate.
Sierra Leone’s leading Telecoms Company, Orange Sierra Leone is treading on a sound CSR path than any other corporate entity known to Sierra Leone. The company’s CSR policy does not believe in putting money in the pockets of individuals for individual prosperity but investing in communities for national development. Orange Sierra Leone takes pride in a uniform CSR policy that guides all its establishments all over the world.
The CSR Policy implemented by Orange Sierra Leone is no difference with the one in such countries as Mali, Ghana, The Gambia, Togo among others. Since Orange established its presence in the country, Orange Sierra Leone has implemented uncountable CRS interventions.
In totality, the interventions have created a fundamental turnaround in communities.
It implements CRS interventions during normal periods and emergencies. Orange Sierra Leone is implementing one of the biggest health projects in the biggest slum community, Kroo Bay in Freetown. Kroo Bay Health Project attaches importance to the health of pregnant women and lactating mothers.
It complements government’s Free Health Care policy which also protects pregnant women, lactating mothers and under-five children. The Kroo Bay project was launched in February this year by Orange Sierra Leone attended by Minister of Health and Sanitation and other senior health professionals.
It was a move to cut down on maternal and child mortality rate in Sierra Leone. Recent statistics in the health sector was appalling as it shows more deaths of women and children during birth. As a company that loves and cares, it brought the health project to the community to save lives. ‘Love and Care’ is Orange’s business slogan.
Award winning non-governmental organisation, ICAP (International Centre for Aids Care and Treatment Programme) has its boot on the ground in Kroo Bay community; thanks to Orange Sierra Leone. ICAP has been working in Sierra Leone since 2014 in partnership with MoHS (Ministry of Health and Sanitation) on assessment of community care centres.
It focuses on building resilient and responsive health systems in communities. ICAP has established indelible footprints in the health sectors of many countries, and thus a blessing for Kroo Bay to host the medical Think Tank. Although it is too early to give an overall assessment of the health Project in Kroo Bay community, one can safely good results are pouring in. Pregnant women have shown more readiness to attend clinic in the community than ever before.
Pregnant women have to attend clinics four times before child birth. Orange Sierra Leone entreats pregnant women to attend their post and pre-natal clinics by way of gifts. Those who adhere to the company’s call get precious awards. The previous week, three women were proud recipients of baby packs from Orange Sierra Leone because they attended all their visits at the health centre.
The company believes in the time-honoured notion of health is wealth, and a healthy women and children makes a healthy nation. The company has also demonstrated interest in women’s empowerment through various schemes. Orange Sierra Leone has a women’s wing that looks after not only female employees in its entity but also others outside. Challenges confronting women are challenges for Orange.
The company demonstrated its concerns for women when it donated several gifts to Princes Christian Maternity Hospital popularly also known as Cottage Hospital. The women who had given birth newly returned home feeling empowered. They were highly grateful to the company. Orange Sierra Leone’s corporate philanthropy does not stop only at the health component.
The education sector has lately got a fair share of the compnay’s resources. For three years, the company sponsored five academics in the Mass Communication faculty of the University of Sierra Leone. The academics who recently were masters and double masters holders are now eminent academic doctors. Mass Communication before this time was a department, but it is now a faculty. The capacity of lecturers has been enhanced, and now ready to deliver.
The company’s zest for improving universities situations in the country is also felt in Njala University in Southern Sierra Leone. Njala Mokonde, the seat of the varsity’s administration has seen bright light after years of darkness. The bright light is made possible after Orange Sierra Leone donated a 5000KVA electricity generator about two weeks ago.
The generator has replaced a rickety generator which has failed to meet the energy needs of student and staff. The old generator had entered its depreciation period for too long.
No amount of repairs could solve the problem after it had fallen into disrepairs for many years. No gainsaying that assistance in the energy situation has been badly needed for years, and Orange Sierra Leone came in handy.
The newly appointed Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Bashiru Koroma was thrilled for words for the donation. Professor Koroma was hopeful for a bright beginning. The donation of the generator marks the beginning of a long Orange Sierra Leone’s journey which no knows where it would end.
Universities are not the only academic institutions that are benefitting from Orange Sierra Leone, schools too get the benefits. Female pupils have received sanitary pads to keep them in schools.
Apart from pads, schools have also received numerous donations from the company. The company’s philanthropy has been taken to the lowest cadre of schooling in remote communities.
In a year, Orange Sierra Leone has constructed three ultra-modern pre-schools in Mayakie in Kambia, Korgbutuma in Moyamba and Gombahun in Pujehun districts. Pre-schooling also known as nursery is a novelty to those communities, and the people owe a debt of gratitude to Orange.
The construction of the Pre-schools is a move to catch the children young. The company hopes to see Presidents, ministers and other important state officials coming from those communities.
Orange Sierra Leone also subscribes to the notion that there is no gift so precious an entity can give to its people than education. In its continued investment in education, Orange Sierra Leone is part of the human capital development project of Sierra Leone.
It is a positive response to government’s call. Orange Sierra Leone is also building the next generation of national builders. The company hopes that the future academics would not be constrained when it is time for them to come to the stage of action. Development experts have argued that no nation can rise above its literacy standards, and that no country can develop if it literacy standards does not reach 40 per cent and above.
Orange Sierra Leone has also declared its relevance to other sectors outside education. Through its OSVP (Orange Social Venture Prize), Orange Sierra Leone is building local entrepreneurs. The submission of a sound business plan and intiative qualifies Sierra Leonean men women for hundreds of millions of Leones from the company.
OSVP is highly competitive on local and international platforms. The company’s benefits are tremendous and unquantifiable since it started operations in the country.
Many Sierra Leoneans have won financial and material prizes especially those who use their sims for orange money transactions, buy EDSA (Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority) top-ups, make calls using Orange sims among others. About four months ago, five Sierra Leoneans were offered five brand new cars by Orange Sierra Leone as prizes
During emergencies, the company intensifies its services and humanitarian interventions. When COVID-19 struck in March this year, the company started off by donating Le1, 000, 000, 000 (one billion Leones) to government through the Ministry of Information and Communication.
The billions counted towards a noble cause as it was used to combat a virus struggling for a foothold in the country. Government was highly appreciative of the donation.
The company was also all over the country to help communities with donations and deliver messages to fight back the virus. Mosques saw aid of various kinds especially when they were shut down for a month. The company provided several bags of rice to muslim jamaat across the country.
Orange Sierra Leone also sanitised their offices to ensure the safety of their customers. It also provided PPE’s (Personal Protective Equipment) to various communities in Sierra Leone especially Wilberforce community which hosts the compnay’s headquaters.
In apparent show of a sound CSR, Orange Sierra Leone has set up Orange Foundation which oversees the company’s humanitarian interventions in the country. It is headed by an active Sierra Leonean woman, Jestina Betts.
Orange beneficiaries know Betts as ‘MADAM GEE.’
The foundation’s presence is felt in all corners of the country. At the height of the pandemic, the company came up with several business strategies to maintain its status as a leading entity in the corporate world.
Financial inclusion, expansion of Orange Money services and creation of free on-line portals for students and pupils in various parts of the country were the main interventions. Financial inclusion is seen in the form of wallet-to-account and account-to-wallet.
Customers of scheme can transfer money from their accounts to mobile phones which they can access every time of the day. The business strategy reduced long queues in banks, and is a big boost to those in the most rural communities.
In the midst of a deadly virus, Orange Sierra Leone recently launched the 4G+ network for its customers. The new service which enhances internet speed is a move to retain customer loyalty to the company. With 460 sites countrywide, the company still remains a dominant force in telecoms services.