Vodafone donates 1,000,000 euros for flood victims

The flood disaster has brought endless suffering. Many people have lost their lives in the floods, many their homes, their livelihoods. Day and night, rescuers and aid organizations are out there fighting. They search for missing people and provide those affected with the most basic necessities. "We at Vodafone grieve with everyone who has suffered terrible losses as a result of this disaster. And we have the greatest respect for what the helpers there are now doing," said Vodafone Germany CEO Hannes Ametsreiter. "We also want to help: Not only by bringing network back as quickly as possible to where the flood also destroyed our stations. We also want to help those who lost their homes in the flood. That's why we are supporting "Aktion Deutschland hilft" with a donation of 1,000,000 euros."

Part of the donation comes directly from the German national company. The other part is contributed by the Vodafone Group Foundation. "We have been deeply moved by the events in Germany and we want to help those who have been so tragically affected," said Joakim Reiter, Chief External and Corporate Affairs Officer and Trustee of the Vodafone Foundation. "The Vodafone Foundation’s Humanitarian fund contribution of 500 000 EUR allows us to offer financial support to those who are working on the ground to assist people who are impacted by natural disasters or emergencies."

Crisis area: half of all mobile communications stations repaired. 90% of all customers back on the network

In addition to providing financial aid to the flood victims, Vodafone's clear focus is on restoring the network in the crisis area. Since Thursday, Vodafone technicians have been working there day and night - and have already repaired more than half of all mobile phone stations hit by the flood. Meanwhile, more than 90% of all customers there are once again connected to the Vodafone network.

Mobile stations and satellite team brings network to where no one is anymore

Where the flood has completely destroyed stations or where technicians are currently unable to get to them, mobile base stations that Vodafone is pulling together from all over Germany are helping. At the same time, the Vodafone Group has brought so-called "Instant Network Teams" from the Vodafone Foundation to the crisis area. They use mini mobile radio stations to bring network coverage to places where there is none left. In this way, they support rescuers in coordinating and searching for missing persons as well as those affected on the ground. Vodafone has booked 100 gigabytes of free data volume on their smartphones for the next four weeks for all customers who are already back on the network. Further assistance measures for those affected are underway.

Vodafone Foundation’s Humanitarian Fund is available to support Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and relief agencies in the immediate aftermath of natural disasters or emergencies in the communities in which Vodafone operates. This fund can match donations from Vodafone Group companies in Europe and Africa to provide additional financial support to aid workers and those affected by disasters.

In 2020 in response to COVID-19, the Vodafone Group Foundation and Vodafone country foundations contributed more than €10m of donations in cash and in-kind to healthcare providers and other agencies. In March 2021, the Vodafone Foundation and Vodacom Foundation together pledged €5m to support vaccine roll out in Africa.