VODAFONE FACILITATES EDUCATION OF UNDERPRIVILEDGED CHILDREN IN KASHMIR AS PART OF RAMZAN INITIATIVE

·      Donates a sum of Rs 6.8 lakh in the fifth year of its annual ‘Giving Initiative’ on Ramzan

·      Over the years, Vodafone has contributed more than Rs. 30.5 lakh for this noble cause

Srinagar, October 10, 2017: Continuing its tradition of celebrating the holy month of Ramzan in its true spirit of ‘giving’, Vodafone India, one of India’s leading telecommunications service providers, organised its annual ‘Giving Initiative’ on ‘Ramzan’.  Now in itsfifth year, this annual initiative by Vodafone saw a total of Rs 6.8 lakh being raised for facilitating education of underprivileged children in J&K. This initiative is part of Vodafone’s “Gift-a-Smile” programme which sees Vodafone undertake various such projects throughout the year.

Since the inception of this initiative, Vodafone has tied-up with Sakhawat Centre, run by Iqbal Memorial Trust, an NGO in Srinagar to whom it has  donated a grand sum of Rs 30.5 lakh over the course of these five years. Sakhawat Centre ensures that the money is put to use to support the academic pursuits of underprivileged children of J&K.

As part of its tie-up with the Sakhawat Centre for this cause, Vodafone donated 1 paisa for every outgoing call or recharge and Rs. 5 for every new activation in the Kashmir province during the entire month of Ramzan this year (starting May 27, 2017). It is needless to iterate that Vodafone does NOT charge anything from the customer for this program.

At the cheque handover ceremony held today at Iqbal memorial centre, Bemina, Srinagar, Arvind Nevatia, Business Head- Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, Vodafone India said, “We at Vodafone pioneered the ‘giving initiative’ in the pious month of Ramzan in the year 2013 to support children’s development. Today, we have donated Rs 6.8 lakh to Sakhawat Centre, taking our contribution to Rs 30.5 lakh over the years for this initiative which we hope will bring a positive change in the lives of these children. By empowering the underprivileged children in J&K through education, we want to see them grow and develop into confident individuals who add value to the society and achieve success in all their endevaours.”

The cheque of Rs 6.8 lakh was handed over to Dr. Yusuf-ul-Omer, Administrator, Sakhawat Centre (under Iqbal Memorial Trust) and Mir Mohammad Ashraf, Secretary Sakhawat Centre (under Iqbal Memorial Trust). Expressing his views on the initiative, Dr. Yusuf-ul-Omer, said, “We are very happy to associate with Vodafone who have truly embraced the spirit of Ramzan through their ‘giving initiative’. This noble act is making a positive contribution towards empowering these children to create a better tomorrow for themselves which in turn will contribute to the development of J&K.”

Iqbal Memorial Trust has been working to rehabilitate the lives of thousands of destitutes and orphans in J&K through a well-spread network of volunteers and service centres. With an objective of making its social welfare activities more broad-based, the Trust had set up the Sakhawat Centre, J&K in June 2005. This social institution has since been helping orphans, widows and other weaker sections of the society lead a dignified life.