June 18, 2015 By Hassan Gbassay Koroma
Bharti Airtel Limited, the third leading global telecommunications company with operations in 20 countries across Asia and Africa, and with headquarters in New Delhi, India, has launched a new campaign to bolster the company’s focus and strategy. The telecom giant also unveiled Ivory Coast’s captain and Manchester City midfielder Yaya Touré as their new brand ambassador for Africa.
On Monday, 15 June 2015 at Radisson Blu Mammy Yoko Hotel, Aberdeen, Managing Director of Airtel Sierra Leone, Sudipto Chowdhury, unveiled local music icon Emerson Bockarie, football legend Mohamed Kallon, and fashion star Zainab Sheriff as brand ambassadors of Airtel Sierra Leone.
Making statement at a dinner attended by the crème-de-la-crème of society, including the First and Second Ladies of Sierra Leone, Mr. Chowdhury said the campaign was to nurture and grow talents in Africa through various consumer touch points in all walks of life, as well as provide their consumers access to connectivity and technology that will enable them to explore opportunities around them and the rest of the world.
“Airtel we began our journey long years ago in India and today we are the third largest telecommunications company with operations in 20 countries across Asia and Africa and what keeps us going is the continuous effort we have been applying in providing communication for the people in their operating countries,” he said. “We are aware that we have been having problems with our network but we are working on and we promise you that in the next 92 days our subscribers will receive the best network.”
He said since they started operations in the country they have been performing their corporate social responsibilities by helping the School for the Blind with food items and school materials worth million of Leones every year, while they have also rendered support in the fight against Ebola virus by supporting the Office of the First Lady.
He disclosed they would be adopting fifty Ebola orphans, from two years until they turn eighteen, and support them in school unto university level. He said they shall also be sending promising journalists aboard for further studies and provide fifteen scholarships their children, from primary to university level.
Also speaking, First Lady Mrs. Sia Nyama Koroma thanked the entire management of Airtel and affirmed that the telecom giant would always meet their corporate social responsibility, especially during the fight against the Ebola virus.
She said weeks ago she was at the launch of the post-Ebola recovery and that her office was working closely with Airtel in the post-Ebola recovery plan.
She however called on Airtel to improve on their network for the satisfaction of their customers in the country.
Speaking on the campaign, Airtel Africa CEO Christian de Faria said that it reiterates the company’s commitment to support the youth in Africa as well as drive economic growth by unlocking people’s potential.
“We are excited to be signing the pact with [Yahya] Touré who is respected in Africa and beyond. As the first player to win African Player of the Year four consecutive times, Touré is an inspiration to everyone working to achieve their potential and striving to be their best every day,” de Faria said.
He maintained that the campaign seeks to nurture and grow talents in Africa through various consumer touch points such as sport, lifestyle and music, as well as targets to provide customers with access to connectivity and technological solutions that would enable them explore opportunities around them.
“Throughout my career I have been fortunate to have a great deal of success on the field. However, I know that the strongest performances come only when you commit 100 percent to the task at hand and display the strength and mettle to give it your all,’ he said.
He added: “It’s Now” is a campaign that is close to my heart as it calls on Africans to embrace the opportunities around them to better their lives. I am glad to be working with Airtel, with its wide reach within Africa, in order to inspire many people.”