Bucharest, January 17, 2019 – In 2018, the Vodafone Romania Foundation invested 2.5 million euros in the programs it has supported in partnership with non-governmental associations, with 250,000 beneficiaries across the country: children, young people, elderly and physically, socially or economically disadvantaged persons. The Foundation developed nearly 30 projects at national and regional level, together with 24 partner organizations.
In the field of health, one of the four strategic investment directions, the foundation carried on the modernization works at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Constanta County Hospital and finalized the equipping of the Otolaryngology Department of the Doctor Victor Gomoiu Children’s Hospital in Bucharest. The ”A Chance for Life” program, implemented in partnership with the React Association at blood transfusion centers, continued with the renovation of the donor’s route at the units in Satu-Mare, Sibiu, Ploieşti, Piteşti, Campulung and Craiova and the equipping of 23 other centers in the country.
“The year 2018 marked the celebration of our 20 years of activity. It also meant the continuation of our investments in the strategic programs with our partners at national level and the marking of important premieres such as the launch of innovative digital products that enabled us to boost the efficiency of the support provided to the beneficiaries. We have been able to expand our involvement in several key areas where a more consistent presence on our part was required, given the complexity of the projects. One example is the modernization of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Constanta, a project in which we decided to invest EUR 1.1 million and to take over some activities that are directly related to the management of the works”, said Angela Galetta, Director of the Vodafone Romania Foundation.
Also in 2018, 200 home-ridden elderly were included in the „Life Saving Button” project, developed together with the Bacau Community Support Foundation, providing the elderly with home care and healthcare through innovative health tele-assistance and telemonitoring. The „Be Ready!” Caravan, developed in partnership with the SMURD Foundation, has reached 65 localities across the country and has organized emergency training sessions with over 10,000 attendees.
Another project, carried over in 2018, is the „Telemedicine for the insulin-dependent child” project, addressing 50 children who received blood glucose sensors and were included in the continuous blood glucose-monitoring program. A premiere of the past year was the launch of www.eduaba.ro, which allows the monitoring of 300 children with autism, for a more effective specialized intervention program.
The National Strategic Program “Investment in Rural Areas” continued last year with the funding of the “School after School” centers, where 500 pupils from disadvantaged communities received support so as to prevent them from abandoning school. The centers are supported in partnership with the World Vision Foundation Romania and the Princess Margareta of Romania Foundation. Back to the social field, the “Elderly Phone”, the first free hotline for people over 65, registered a new record of 10,000 calls from people living alone, who asked for emotional support, information or social counseling.
The largest initiative of the Vodafone Romania Foundation in the strategic area dedicated to volunteering, the „Letters for Santa Claus” program, helped over 1,200 disadvantaged children receive the Christmas gifts they wished for. In total, the Foundation’s voluntareering activities included 23 events in 2018, involving over 2,000 volunteers.
As another premiere of last year, Vodafone Romania Foundation launched EVA Facial Mouse, the first application enabling people with neuromotor conditions or bed-ridden to use mobile devices.
The Vodafone Romania Foundation is a Romanian nongovernmental charitable organization, established in 1998, which operates separately and independently from the Vodafone Romania SA’s business. During its 20 years of activity, Vodafone Romania Foundation has funded 1,132 programs run by 730 NGOs throughout the country, in the fields of healthcare, education and social services. These projects had 3 million beneficiaries – children, young and old people, physically, socially or economically disadvantaged. So far, the Vodafone Romania Foundation has invested over 30 million euros in projects run by nonprofit partner organizations. More details about the Foundation’s programs are available at fundatia-vodafone.ro, http://jurnaldebine.fundatia-vodafone.ro/ and www.facebook.com/fundatiavodafone.
