Safaricom Foundation Launches World of Difference Phase Two

April 29, 2010 – Safaricom Foundation has launched its second phase of the World of Difference initiative with a view to encouraging most its employees to volunteer to offer their expertise in developing Kenyan communities. 

The Foundation, which is the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of listed communication firm Safaricom, is seeking to promote community development through staff involvement and participation. In the scheme, employees will be allowed three months leave to go and work on a community project of their choice.  

The World of Difference (WOD) is a unique opportunity provided to Safaricom staff to participate in a life changing and learning experience in order to strengthen the Foundation's partnerships with its project partners and also with the local communities.  

Speaking during the launch of the CSR initiative, Safaricom Chairman Les Baillie said the scheme was voluntary and all staff involved would still get their full salaries for the three months they are away.   

"This program provides individuals who are passionate and committed to working with local organisations to volunteer to work in community programmes of their choice, contributing their knowledge, skills and expertise in the implementation of the organisation projects," he said.  

The Foundation has also invited the media either as a team or individuals to take part in the life-changing initiative.   

Aside from providing a unique capacity building and exposure opportunity for the volunteer, the volunteers will be expected to work to extend and improve services, and in some cases will give the organisation the boost they need to move forward.  

The World of Difference programme is currently running on a one year period, seconding three teams of four Safaricom employees each volunteering with three local Kenyan organizations which include Northern Rangelands Trust, and the Kenya Red Cross, in which volunteers bring forth a host of skills including Human Resource, Information Technology, Resource Mobilization, Systems Strengthening, Marketing, Peer education amongst others. 

It is expected that at the end of the year, significant change would have been realized amongst partners based on the needs identified. To capture the change across the entire placement period, a simple yet effective Monitoring and Evaluation will be established to detail changes at the partner level, the volunteer level and at the Safaricom level. 

April 29, 2010 – Safaricom Foundation has launched its second phase of the World of Difference initiative with a view to encouraging most its employees to volunteer to offer their expertise in developing Kenyan communities. 

The Foundation, which is the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of listed communication firm Safaricom, is seeking to promote community development through staff involvement and participation. In the scheme, employees will be allowed three months leave to go and work on a community project of their choice.  

The World of Difference (WOD) is a unique opportunity provided to Safaricom staff to participate in a life changing and learning experience in order to strengthen the Foundation's partnerships with its project partners and also with the local communities.  

Speaking during the launch of the CSR initiative, Safaricom Chairman Les Baillie said the scheme was voluntary and all staff involved would still get their full salaries for the three months they are away.   

"This program provides individuals who are passionate and committed to working with local organisations to volunteer to work in community programmes of their choice, contributing their knowledge, skills and expertise in the implementation of the organisation projects," he said.  

The Foundation has also invited the media either as a team or individuals to take part in the life-changing initiative.   

Aside from providing a unique capacity building and exposure opportunity for the volunteer, the volunteers will be expected to work to extend and improve services, and in some cases will give the organisation the boost they need to move forward.  

The World of Difference programme is currently running on a one year period, seconding three teams of four Safaricom employees each volunteering with three local Kenyan organizations which include Northern Rangelands Trust, and the Kenya Red Cross, in which volunteers bring forth a host of skills including Human Resource, Information Technology, Resource Mobilization, Systems Strengthening, Marketing, Peer education amongst others. 

It is expected that at the end of the year, significant change would have been realized amongst partners based on the needs identified. To capture the change across the entire placement period, a simple yet effective Monitoring and Evaluation will be established to detail changes at the partner level, the volunteer level and at the Safaricom level.