VODAFONE RED ALERT TO RAISE FUNDS FOR TOMAS VICTIMS

 

With a $10, 000 donation from the Vodafone ATH Fiji Foundation to kick start the effort, RED ALERT  utilises the convenient and cost effective tool of SMS to raise funds to assist with effective and timely relief to people most in need in the country’s Northern and Eastern Divisions.  The Fiji RED ALERT programme will be available from today, 18th March, 2010 and is focussed on enabling Vodafone employees and customers to give free of charge via SMS in response to TC Tomas.

 

Vodafone users need only dial *767# from their mobile phones to donate $1.00, $4.99 or $9.99 in two easy steps.  The service is free to use and the only monies deducted will be the donation of the mobile user. Those who wish to donate more than $10.00 or wishing to donate from abroad should visit Vodafone’s website at www. vodafone.com.fj/foundation.

 

Vodafone RED ALERT is a global fundraising facility localised in various countries.   Vodafone RED ALERT is a partnership between global Vodafone Foundations and Vodafone operating companies which utilises SMS fundraising to generate support amongst employees and customers in the immediate aftermath of disasters or in an emergency.  

 

All funds raised through RED ALERT will be given to charitable organisations identified by the trustees of the Vodafone ATH Fiji Foundation to provide post disaster support to victims and relief agencies. The trustees will make their decisions based on a set of criteria which draws on the knowledge and expertise of those engaged in fundraising for disaster relief programmes.  The amount of funds collected via RED ALERT will be made public at regular intervals during the initiative, as will its distribution. 

 

In the aftermath of the Haiti earthquake and in response to requests from its Foundations, 14 Vodafone companies around the world engaged in SMS fundraising, enabling Vodafone customers to give in excess of £4.6 million through SMS giving alone.  The Foundations themselves contributed £275,000 towards the appeal..

 

The following Vodafone companies and their local Foundations have agreed to utilise the Vodafone Red Alert programme; Albania, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Fiji, Germany, Ghana, Hungary, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, South Africa, Spain, Tanzania, Turkey and the UK.

 

Vodafone Fiji Limited is part of Vodafone Group Plc, a leading mobile communications company with over 315 million proportionate customers worldwide. Vodafone Fiji which is a partnership with Amalgamated Telecom Holding Fiji provides mobile telecommunications services to over 700,000 Fiji customers. The global company has equity interests in 26 countries and partner networks in a further 33 countries, the largest global footprint.