Under its Better World corporate social responsibility initiative, Vodafone has launched the third edition of the World of Difference programme.
A first-of-its-kind initiative in Qatar, this programme gives individuals the opportunity to apply and receive funding for a year to make a positive change in the country by supporting a local cause or addressing a social issue.
Applications for World of Difference 2013 open on January 27 and close at midnight on March 9; they must be made online at www.vodafone.qa/wod.
“The programme is about connecting passionate people to a local need so that they can complete a project that will make a sustained difference to the lives of others. While many people dream of making a difference, constraints of time and money often curb the extent to which that dream can become a reality,” said Dana Haidan, head of corporate responsibility, Vodafone Qatar.
The World of Difference programme was first launched in 2011 in Qatar and awarded four individuals who helped address a number of social issues, such as English learning for migrant workers and poverty in some areas in Qatar.
In 2012, the programme awarded two winners who helped disabled individuals in Qatar engage in sports through swimming and diving, and drew attention to the issue of animal welfare in the country.
The programme was originally launched in New Zealand in 2003 and is now the flagship campaign of the Vodafone Group Foundation and a number of Vodafone operating companies around the world. Till date, more than 100 projects have been completed in over 50 countries, which have positively impacted the lives of thousands of people around the world.
The programme is paving the way for a different method of doing charity – not by simply donating money, but by helping people sustain their charitable projects for an entire year.