Showing on the one hand the bleak realities that millions of girl children face, this Corporate Social Investment (CSI) initiative also continues to prove the opposite: The difference an inspired company, committed partners and enthusiastic stakeholders and beneficiaries can make.
This Year's Take a Girl Child to Work Day® campaign will take place on 29 May 2008. The objective of the Take A Girl Child to Work Day initiative is threefold: To expose girl children to the “world of work”, positive role models and the opportunity to make informed career decisions; to inspire them to pursue their goals and ambitions and, lastly, to provide a platform for dialogue around their needs and roles. These have always been the focal points, but now the project is ready to move to the next level with the 2008 theme, “Choice Empowers”, complemented by a Career Choice Exhibition, aimed at boy and girl learners in rural areas and a Girl Child Bursary Fund.
Cell C Corporate Social Investment Manager, Mercia Maserumule, explains: “The world that we live in is not simple, and the choices that kids are forced to make nowadays are varied and often frightening. Do I smoke or not smoke? Do I drink alcohol or pass it up?” Hand in hand with the concern come the challenges; from environmental and social issues such as inadequate career guidance, abuse, poverty, HIV/AIDS, crime and gender discrimination to everyday challenges including peer group, personal and media pressure.
“However,” says Maserumule, “the key to unlocking solutions remains not merely choice, but its potential to empower. The young girls of today need opportunities to come to their own conclusions, and to make their own informed decisions and experience some sense of empowerment in the process. They need to feel that they can positively affect the world in which they live.”
Aside from the commitment of the girls themselves, she believes, the government and private sector can play an increasingly important role in making opportunities and resources available and taking the lead in real transformation and leadership development. To this end, Cell C has been setting the ever increasing standard: “Traditionally women and girls have been marginalised, but we are going the extra mile to change those often deeply ingrained perceptions. Today the dreams and ambitions girls have, are typical of what their perception of a successful person entails; having a successful career and a stable family life. And we're there to help and guide them on their way to success; from gathering information and acquiring skills to attaining valuable associations with successful people.”
“Whether children look back with regret or fulfillment depends entirely on the choices they make today,” concludes Maserumule. “What we aim to do with our 2008 theme is to ensure that they are in a position to make the right choices.”
About Cell C
Cell C (Pty) Ltd is one of three cellular operators in South Africa. Cell C offers products and services to more than 4.2 million active subscribers, over one million post-paid subscribers and more than 110 000 community service telephones. With a network capable of providing voice, data and multimedia communications, the company is committed to delivering to subscribers a full range of GSM services, based on the key principles of affordability, accessibility and value for money. Launched in November 2001, Cell C has rolled out 2 176 base stations nationwide and now carries over 86% of its own traffic. The network operator has roaming agreements with 398 telecommunications operators in 166 countries worldwide. Cell C is South Africa's most empowered telecommunications company in terms of equity ownership, preferential procurement, employment equity and enterprise and skills development. Visit: www.cellc.co.za for more information on Cell C and its products and services.
