Vodafone answers call to recycle mobiles

Friday, 4 April 2008, 12:26 am
Press Release: Vodafone

Media Release

4 April 2008

Vodafone answers Enable Community’s call to recycle mobiles

Vodafone New Zealand and Enable Community have formed a partnership to recycle old mobiles to give to ‘micro-entrepreneurs’ in the Philippines.

Enable Community, a not-for-profit organisation, takes the old mobiles to the Philippines where they are refurbished and handed on to small business people on the poverty line.

Russell Stanners, CEO, Vodafone says Vodafone New Zealand is pleased to have formed this partnership, which will contribute to the economic benefit of people in the developing world.

“Telecommunications is an economic catalyst which can have a real impact on people’s standard of living in the developed and developing world,” he says.

“When looking for a recycling partner we wanted someone who could help make a difference in not just protecting the environment, but helping to improve quality of life for some of the world’s most disadvantaged people.

 “Enable Community was the only organisation who offered a programme that actively uses old working phones to help others, as well as recycling those that no longer function.  

“We estimate there are over a million old mobiles in New Zealand alone, lurking in people’s drawers, cupboards and car glove boxes.  We currently collect some 40,000 old mobiles annually and want to increase that number significantly to help Enable Community meet its goals,” says Stanners.

Matthew Steine, Founder of Enable Community, says the simple gift of a mobile to a person establishing their own business has profound benefits.

“A mobile is so much more than a communication accessory, it is the tool used to check market prices; contact clients and be contactable; order supplies and do phone banking,” he says.

“Having accessible communication is helping these entrepreneurs gain financial independence and beat that poverty cycle.

“Our aim is to give some 100,000 mobiles this financial year, while we estimate there are another 500,000 people in the Philippines who could benefit from this programme.

“It is only now, through our partnership with Vodafone, that we can begin to match the size of the need that we are presented with,” says Steine.

To hand in an old mobile is simple.  Visit any Vodafone, Noel Leeming or Bond & Bond store and drop it into the recycling bin or access Vodafone’s Freepost details on www.vodafone.co.nz/recycling.

For more information on Enable Community visit:   www.enablecommunity.org.au 

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