Vodafone Donates Rs 17 Lakh to Lotus Medical Foundation, Carying HIV Affected People

Vodafone’s Caring Gesture Toward HIV Affected in Maharashtra

Commits Rs. 17 lakhs to the Lotus Medical Foundation, Kolhapur under the World of Difference programme

PUNE: Reinforcing its commitment towards making meaning contribution to the society,  Vodafone India, commited a sum of Rs. 17 lakhs to the Lotus Medical Foundation, a Kolhapur Based NGO. Vodafone India, one of India’s leading telecomunications service providers, is supporting Lotus Medical Foundation in creating awareness about HIV, prevention from the disease and treatment and care of HIV afflicted in Maharashtra. It is a part of Vodafone World of Difference programme, a flagship initiative by Vodafone Foundation.

A cheuqe for the said amount was handed over by B P Singh, Operations Director – West, Vodafone India and Ishmeet Singh, Business Head, Maharashtra & Goa, Vodafone India to Dr. Niranjan Shah, Director, Lotus Medical Foundation on 20 May in Pune. The entire amount was generated through individual contributions from employees of Maharashtra & Goa circle of Vodafone and a significant contribution from Vodafone India.

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This project is a part of Vodafone’s larger CSR initiative of Corporate Giving that goes beyond the ‘cheque book’ approach. Under the World of Difference programme, 25 Vodafone India employees, selected after a rigorous application process, were given a unique opportunity to work for an NGO of their choice, for a period of 8 weeks. This programme taps into the skills, expertise and passion of people, and enables them to take time out from their regular jobs and work for a cause close to their heart. The Lotus Medical Foundation was one of the partner NGOs for the World of Difference programme and one of Vodafone’s employee from the Maharashtra & Goa circle spent three months working with the NGO, at Kolhapur.

Speaking about the initiative B. P. Singh, Operations Director, West, Vodafone India said, “At Vodafone India, we are committed to act responsibly and contribute positively towards the society and the environment we operate in. Our commitment towards the community at large extends beyond just the products and services that we offer. The Vodafone World of Difference programme is a unique opportunity for our employees to make a perceptible difference to society in the most meaningful way. It also helped us gain from the rich experiences and learnings that the employees brought back following their stint with the NGOs.”

Adding to this, Ishmeet Singh, Business Head, Maharashtra & Goa, Vodafone India said, “As a value based organisation Vodafone believes in making a meaningful contribution towards society. As a responsible Corporate citizen, we, at Vodafone supported Lotus Medical Foundation’s work through both, skill and monetary contribution. I compliment the Lotus Medical Foundation on their good work in Kolhapur and surrounding areas and am pleased that employees of Vodafone Maharashtra & Goa circle have voluntarily made a generous contribution toward this cause.”

Dr.Niranjan Shah from Lotus Medical Foundation said, “On behalf of Lotus Medical Foundation, I would like to thank Vodafone India and the employees of Vodafone Maharashtra & Goa circle for their contribution and support to our programme and objectives. This is the first time that a large Corporate like Vodafone India has pledged support to us in a significant and meaningful manner, through the World of Difference programme. This contribution from Vodafone will help spread Lotus’ messages on HIV awareness and prevention to more citizens in the state and extend our care and rehabilitation umbrella to larger numbers of HIV afflicted patients.”