(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Ooredoo companies organised a series of charitable and community initiatives in support of the spirit of Ramadan across the Middle East, North Africa and Southeast Asia in June.
The diverse range of campaigns and initiatives shared the core theme of building closer connections, between communities and between people and their faith. This key theme was highlighted by Ooredoo’s “Closer Connections” Ramadan TVC, which has been seen by more than 4.3mn people on global video-sharing website YouTube, the company has said in a statement.
Ooredoo’s Ramadan TVC was the first short film created through a collaboration between Ooredoo Group, Ooredoo Qatar, Ooredoo Kuwait and Ooredoo Oman. Featuring inspirational people from the three countries, the #CloserConnections campaign focuses on the bond that everybody feels – both with each other and with their religion – during the holy month.
Sheikh Saud bin Nasser al-Thani, Group CEO of Ooredoo, said: “The whole Ooredoo family comes together to help people across our communities during the holy month, and this year has seen a wave of volunteers working on projects that deliver real benefits.”
In Qatar, volunteers have participated in a range of activities designed to reach out across the community, including volunteer visits to Qatar Foundation for Elderly Care, Hamad hospital and Fahad Bin Jassim Kidney Centre, and a programme to distribute Iftar packs to people breaking their fast at Woqod petrol stations across the country.
There has also been a spirit of volunteering in Kuwait, which saw the launch of the second edition of Ooredoo’s volunteer programme in co-operation with Spread the Passion, a local non-profit organisation for young people.
The training programme has included workshops and training camps. In addition, volunteers from Ooredoo Kuwait have distributed more than 17,000 Iftar meals during the holy month through a distribution centre at its headquarters and a special tent.
In Iraq, Asiacell, an Ooredoo company, has launched a national CSR project to collect clothing for children in orphanages across the country. The clothing will be distributed over the Eid holiday, providing new clothing for children without families.
In Palestine, Wataniya Mobile organised a range of Ramadan activities, including distributing packs at Al Aqsa Mosque to everyone heading from the West Bank to perform Friday prayers on the first Friday of Ramadan. The company also equipped an ER tent at Al Aqsa Mosque to provide all first-aid assistance from trained staff to any visitor who required it.
Ooredoo Oman began its 12th Ooredoo Goodwill Journey on June 12, receiving a warm send-off from crowds of well-wishers as it set out on its annual 2,000km voyage of community support. Starting out from Salalah in the governorate of Dhofar, a team of 22 goodwill ambassadors travelled to Shlaeem and Hallaniyat islands, Al Jazir, Mudhiabi, Sur, Bowsher and Qurayyat before the final stop on June 26.
During the journey, volunteers donated essential equipment, supplies and educational materials to local organisations and associations to help support education and entrepreneurship opportunities for women and young people. In addition, the volunteers held a variety of events to celebrate the spirit of Ramadan.
Ooredoo Algeria sponsored three Ramadan tents in provinces across the country to enable people to break their fast in comfort. In addition, the company organised a programme of hospital visits where volunteers went to cheer up sick children.
Ooredoo also conducted Ramadan activities in Indonesia this year, where Waleed al-Sayed, deputy CEO of Ooredoo, made a significant donation to the International Digital Braille Qur’an Foundation at ceremony held on the first day of the holy month. In addition, Ooredoo donated $10,000 to the House of Atmanto’s Internet Foundation, which provides training and development for people in need.
Further, Ooredoo donated school kits and funding for five orphanages and for a number of foundations that help the destitute in Indonesia.
As well as charity and community campaigns, Ooredoo has released a range of innovative Islamic content during the holy month.
In the Maldives, Ooredoo customers could benefit from free prayer alerts, free Qur’an translations and free hadith available on their phones. In addition, customers were able to subscribe to free religious quotes via SMS as part of the service.
Ooredoo Tunisia chose to connect people, in order to innovate and share new experiences, launching a dedicated free Ramadan app that provide exclusive Islamic content and by offering “Kadonet”, a new service that enables customers to purchase data bundles for other users.
Wataniya Mobile launched a special “Top-Up and Win” campaign in Palestine to mark the holy month. The campaign gave customers the chance to win instant prizes when they topped up and when they received and made calls.