Airtel boosts Sierra Leone’s Agenda for Change
The Rural Education Committee (REC) School Tombo has received a facelift, many thanks to the 2010 award winning telecommunications company of the year, airtel Sierra Leone. (Photo: Revamped REC School Tombo)
The launching ceremony which took place in the fishing community attracted many distinguished personalities from both Government and private entities in Sierra Leone. (All images below can be clicked on to view on a larger scale)
Images of the school before Airtel's intervention
Children taking classes under the tree, (r) dusty classrooms
In his statement, airtel’s Managing Director – RVS Bhullar told the audience that they were witnessing a landmark CSR activity, another first in the history of education in Sierra Leone from a new brand that has come to touch the lives of many Sierra Leoneans and creating possibilities for them to do more.
“Primary Education is as much about reach and accessibility as about quality,” the MD pointed out, adding that given Sierra Leone’s vast geographic spread and demographic diversity, it faces huge challenges on both fronts. “Following the passing of the Free Primary Education in 2004, access to education had clearly come under renewed government focus”.
Dignitaries at the launch, (Top l-r) Hon. Chernor Maju Bah, Hon. Victor Chukuma Johnson, and Director of Communication Ministry of Information & Communication. (bottom l-r) NATCOM’s Commissioner Kabia, Airtel's School Adoption Project Manager - June-Rose Johnson, and Airtel MD - RVS Bhullar (Teddy)
He underscored that at airtel, quality education is non-negotiable, saying that they had remained acutely conscious of this while scaling up the programme over the past couple of months. RVS Bhullar concluded by admonishing Sierra Leoneans that each one is needed to contribute towards the development of the country and as Sierra Leone being 50 yrs in days to come, this also serve as a perfect gift for ‘Mama Salone’.
The Hon. Deputy Speaker of Parliament was almost short of words in describing airtel’s role in the human resource development of his constituency and the country as a whole. Hon. Victor Chukuma Johnson showered praises on airtel as being responsive to the needs of the country and describing this landmark CSR activity as a job well done.
Events – (Top l-r) Cutting of the tape, Hon Chernor M Bah, children’s cultural performance, (Bottom l-r) Airtel's Legal Council, Head of HR & Head of Corporate Affairs; Hon. Chukuma Johnson, Hon. Chernor Bah, RVS Bhullar & Dir. of Communications
Airtel’s CSR & Communications Manager – June-Rose Johnson stated that the company is on the brink of total transformation in the lives of over 900 pupils of the Tombo Community and beyond. She continued by saying that the pupils now have a modern school environment and educational support from the company including payment of allowances to teachers so as to increase their output.
With Airtel, the story has changed
For his part, Hon. Chernor Maju Bah said the Tombo community will now celebrate with an infrastructure that will help their children acquire quality education, noting that airtel has given a boost to the President’s Agenda for change which includes quality education.
The deputy chairman of the Western Rural District Council – Mr. Kanu assured airtel of proper management of the facilities as the council will closely monitor the school to ensure that proper management structures were put in place.
(L-r) children in the playground, happy ‘Airtel’ children
Climax to the events were cultural and traditional performances from the school pupils and the community people.
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