Vodacom responds to famine in Somalia

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In response to recent reports by the United Nations on the famine crisis in Somalia, Vodacom launched earlier this week a donor relief campaign called "Relief for Somalia" that enables its customers to donate via SMS.

Vodacom have pledged to match the amount raised by customers and has waived any charges associated with the use of SMS to ensure that 100% of the donations are handed over to the South African Red Cross Society (SARCS) who are coordinating relief efforts in support of Somalia.

Executive director for CSI at Vodacom, Mthobi Tyamzashe says, "We are deeply disturbed by the situation in Somalia and we think that our customers are too. South Africans are eager to contribute towards this cause and it made sense to create a platform that will make it easy for them to pledge their support."

Commenting on the campaign, "We are very pleased that Vodacom and its customers are joining our efforts to bring relief to those in Somalia. Our aim is to support the feeding programs for malnourished children and ensuring drinking water for hundreds of thousands of people are a priority for Red Cross," says secretary general of SARCS, Mandisa Kalako Williams.