Roke Telkom, a Ugandan-owned telecommunications company has concluded its annual corporate social responsibility initiative dubbed Roke Gives Back, with generous donations of welfare items and learning equipment worth Ugx 33 million shillings in five districts across the country.
At the start of October, Roke Telkom launched its philanthropic initiative avowed to extend welfare support to 300 children and women in orphanages and care centers.
From the first charity visit to Generations in Action Children’s home in Gulu, Maana Rescue Home Nsorro in Fort Portal, Smile Africa Ministries in Tororo, Mama Jane Child care Center in Jinja onto their final stop at Bless a Child Foundation, Roke Telkom’s charitable drive has seen them donate relief items, learning equipment, beddings, food, Television and Internet among others to these homes from different parts of the country. The donated items are necessities intended to enable the children’s homes to smoothly run the day-to-day activities and adequately take care of the children.
While speaking at Mama Jane’s home in Jinja, Mr. Amanya Atuhaire, the Credit Control manager, at Roke Telkom said that the donated items will enable the caretakers to look after the children seeing as it is not an easy task especially during such challenging times presented by COVID-19. He explained that, “It is humbling to be part of an initiative that is directly impacting communities and being able to especially support the vulnerable children in the best way we can.”
Ms. Agnes Naava alias Mama Jane, the proprietor of Mama Jane Child Care Centre appreciated the donation made by Roke Telkom saying that, “On behalf of the children, staff and Mama Jane Child Care Centre as a whole we are very grateful for our gifts. It’s unfortunate, especially for our children that due to COVID-19 we cannot play and interact like we used to in the past but am sure they will be very delighted when they see these gifts.”
The Roke Team also visited a home headed by an 18-year-old living with 11 siblings. Living in a one-bedroom house, orphaned and without adequate basic needs, Roke Telkom handed over items worth Ugx 1 million in home needs to assist with the living conditions.
According to the Ministry of Gender, Labor, and Social Development report, the Eastern region registered a high number of Orphans and Vulnerable Children House Holds (OVC HHs) supported 398,589 followed by the Central region with 391,624. The least number of OVC HHs supported was registered in the West Nile region with 32,317. The analysis further revealed that the number of OVC and OVC HHs supported is directly proportional to the number of both Implementing partners and Service providers within the region.
Roke Telkom’s Corporate Social Responsibility initiative, therefore, goes a long way in fostering quality child care and development in these institutions.
Mr. Allan Ndala Gulume, the Probation Officer for Jinja District also expressed the district leadership’s gratitude to Roke Telkom for their donation, urging parents to take responsibility for their children. “At a national level, Jinja district sits at 3rd place as one of the districts with the highest number of street children and a visibly large population of children in rehabilitation centers. One of the reasons we have entities like Mama Jane is because parents have been negligent in the upbringing of their children,” Ndala commented, adding that, “It is the responsibility of each one of us as Ugandans to take care of the young generation and show a good example of what type of citizen to be in society.”
During the visit at Bless A Child Foundation, a home to children receiving cancer treatment, Mauricia Kayizi, Head of Product and Business Intelligence Roke Telkom, said that “As we get close to the festive season, it is our delight as the Roke team to be able to help and put smiles on the faces of not only our clients but the general populace.”
Roke Telkom dedicates the month of October to give back to the community on top of the other engagements during the year as goodwill to restore hope and aspirations among the vulnerable communities. The charitable drive has happened in four different districts this year including; Gulu, Fort Portal, Tororo, Jinja and Kampala.
