By Abubakarr Harding
Orange SL, which is a reputable and renowned telecommunications service provider, has since the 2nd May, 2023 commenced the annual celebration of its Environmental, Health and Safety Week with the theme: “Taking Sustainable Steps to Reduce our Carbon Footprint”, which is an event set aside to help raise awareness on environmental safety and protection.
The week long activity is celebrated through the rolling out of a series of activities to demonstrate the company’s environmental responsibility such as planting 1,000 trees by employees and external stakeholders, conducting desk plant competition and holding an EHS week day symposium.
The Chief Executive Officer of Orange SL, Sékou Amadou Bah, welcomed all to the Kick -off of the 2023 EHS Week furthering how it is a remarkable day for the company, as they set aside a week dedicated towards reinforcing their commitment on environmental responsibility as a company.
He disclosed that during the week they would engage in several activities such as the planting of 3,000 trees at the mud slide site at Motema, conduct a tour of the solar facility installed at their sites along with the Environment Protection Agency, observe an EHS day and stage a departmental and employee plant competition.
The Orange SL boss intimated how they launched this year’s EHS week with the theme: “Taking Sustainable Step to Reduce our Carbon Footprint” underscoring that the theme is in line with the Orange group target of achieving zero carbon emission by 2040.
He went further to state that taking sustainable steps to reduce carbon footprint is a collective responsibility also encouraging everyone to take action in their daily lives, no matter how small, towards protecting the environment.
“Simple actions such using less electricity consumption, saving on fuel consumption, planting flowers can make a great impact,” he averred adding how he wants to emphasize the importance of health and safety in the workplace and also urged everyone to take care of their mental and emotional wellbeing.
He said the time is now calling on all to act now to preserve and protect the environment for a green future.
In another event that took place at the Kamara Yokie Innovation Center in Freetown on the 26th April 2023, Orange SL Foundation & Orange Digital Centre, Plan International in collaboration with Girls Out Loud, She Leads, Kamara Yokie Innovation Center (KYIC) observed ‘Girls in ICT Day’ with the Theme: “Digital Skills for Life”.
Worthy of note is that for the past 12 years, Sierra Leone has joined over 150 countries around the world to celebrate the day every April which has now become an annual event.
Indisputably, ICT plays a pivotal role in a world that is becoming more digitalized each day making it important and imperative that digital skills are passed on or taught to young women and girls at an early age.
During the event, statements were made by various partners emphasizing on the importance of empowering young women and girls with digital skills underscoring how such will be essential in navigating different aspects of life.
Interactive workshop sessions on Digital Literacy, Introduction to Coding, Mobile Journalism and Tech for inclusion were held for young women and girls who were in attendance from various Schools, Communities & Organisations with the objective of making them gaining better understanding and empowering them.
The partners affirmed that they would continue to foster partnerships to ensure that young women and girls are not only equipped with digital skills and tools, but also expose them to equal opportunities in a safe space in the outer world.
Furthermore, the young women and girls were also challenged to always seize opportunities whenever they arise in life, without fear of inferiority, intimidation or discrimination as the case may be.
According to Orange SL Foundation and its partners, acquiring Digital Skills in this present day and age is the way to go for young women and girls in SL.
