London – The Vodafone Group Foundation today made a donation of £50,000 to the BBC World Service Trust, the BBC’s international development charity, to enable it to produce and broadcast emergency programming for the people of Burma.
The programme’s objectives will be to provide information on disease prevention and health promotion in order to prevent ill-health and to provide advice on issues such as sanitation and food supplies.
The donation is made in response to the widespread death and destruction caused by Cyclone Nargis which struck Burma on 4th May and is in addition to a contribution of £50,000 made by The Vodafone Group Foundation to the charity World Vision to aid its work in alleviating the suffering of those affected by the impact of the cyclone.
As a result of this donation, the BBC World Service Trust, in partnership with the BBC Burmese Service will broadcast six programmes of five minutes duration six days a week. The programmes will be on air in Burma from 9th June. The BBC Burmese Service had an estimated audience of 7 million regular Burmese listeners prior to the cyclone. This new ‘Lifeline’ information will augment the existing news and current affairs programmes.
“The provision of accurate, timely information is a disaster response in its own right and this donation can help the BBC World Service Trust to produce high quality emergency programming that we hope will provide considerable assistance to the Burmese people at this extremely difficult time”, said Andrew Dunnett, Director, The Vodafone Group Foundation.
Stephen King, Director, BBC World Service Trust adds: “As the tragic news from Burma unfolds it has become apparent that traditional aid is not getting through. The power of the media offers a vital way of getting people access to information to help them survive and start to recover. It enables people to begin the process of rebuilding their lives and taking charge of themselves. The donation from the Vodafone Group Foundation allows us to provide this important service to the people of Burma.”
The Vodafone Group Foundation is committed to providing assistance in the area of disaster response. Its main aim is to develop partnerships that enhance long term disaster response and preparedness activity, working with organizations such as the United Nations Foundation, Télécoms Sans Frontières, Oxfam and MapAction. It also seeks wherever possible to make a direct contribution in response to critical humanitarian crises.
About The Vodafone Group Foundation
The Vodafone Group Foundation has invested over £100 million in projects since its creation in 2002 concentrating on disaster relief, helping disadvantaged children via sport and music initiatives and specific projects across Vodafone's 23 local Foundations worldwide.
About the BBC World Service Trust
The BBC World Service Trust is the international charity of the BBC. Created in October 1999, the Trust uses the creative power of the media to reduce poverty and promote human rights, thereby enabling people to build better lives for themselves. It works in 43 countries around the world using a variety of approaches including television and radio drama, advertisements and journalism training.
The BBC World Service Trust focuses on health, governance and human rights, the environment and humanitarian response. With an annual turnover of £17.6 million, the Trust employs 500 staff worldwide, 80% of whom are recruited and trained locally.
To find out more about the BBC World Service Trust please visit:
http://www.bbcworldservicetrust.org
For more information please contact:
Helen Brockett
The Vodafone Group Foundation
+44 (0)7500 032886
helen.brockett@vodafone.com