Telefónica to Donate Over CZK 1.1 Million to Help Haiti
On 15th January, Telefónica Czech Republic initiated a special collection among its employees to help victims of the devastating Haiti earthquake. Up to this day 1,235 employees contributed CZK 558,255 and the company doubled the amount to CZK 1,116,510. This makes the company the largest of the company donors contributing to the People in Need organization.
„There are many individual donors as well as companies making contributions to our SOS Haiti collection. Telefónica Czech Republic is the largest of our company donors with its contribution. We especially appreciate the approach of O2 employees and their selfless assistance to other people,” says Tomáš Vyhnálek, People in Need fundraiser.
„We are happy that through People in Need we can help people affected by the earthquake. We will hand over CZK 1,116,510 at a charitable concert for Haiti in the Prague La Fabrika club tonight. First of all, I must say ‘thank you’ to our employees, who made voluntary contributions, without their support the gain of the collection would not be as extraordinary as it is,” say Jiří Šuchman, Director for External Relations of Telefónica and member of the Board of Trustees of the O2 Foundation.
All Telefónica Europe branches have initiated employee collections to relieve victims of the natural disaster in Haiti. Just like Telefónica in the Czech Republic, the other European branches will also increase the total donations of all European employees by 100%.
People in Need organization coordinates its help with partner organizations associated in the international Alliance 2015, of which it is a member. The money will be used for immediate humanitarian aid, and later on, for projects for renovation of the country devastated by the earthquake. The partners of the organization have been active in Haiti for a long time, for example they provided their assistance after 2008 hurricane. People in Need will have three experienced coordinators in place, they will join the teams of the partnering humanitarian organizations. On Friday, the organization will sent to the Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince a team of six physicians and nurses.
