TIGO teams up with UNICEF, champions innovations for Tanzania’s children

DAR ES SALAAM, United Republic of Tanzania, 24 November 2015 – Tigo, under Millicom International Cellular (MIC) Tanzania Limited, has offered to support the children of Tanzania through four projects initiated and supported by UNICEF Tanzania.

From 2016-2018, financial and in-kind contributions worth about TZS $ 354,625,172 (USD $165,000) will be used to support the Under Five Birth Registration Initiative, the National Child Helpline, the ‘Tupime Watoto’ (HIV testing of children) initiative and UNICEF Tanzania’s Innovations Lab.

While signing the memorandum of understanding and handing over of contributions from TIGO to UNICEF, Chief Commercial Officer of Tigo, Mr. Shavkat Berdiev, said: “Our company is committed to helping children, families and communities in Tanzania. Through this initiative Tigo clearly demonstrates its Corporate Responsibility commitment of mobilizing community through the use of digital solutions. We are proud to be partnering with UNICEF and we will continue to work with UNICEF on other innovative and exciting projects to reach the most vulnerable children.”

While thanking Tigo, UNICEF Tanzania’s Representative, Dr. Jama Gulaid said: “This is not the first time Tigo has shown its commitment to improve the lives of the most disadvantaged. In the past two years, we have worked with Tigo and the Registration Insolvency & Trusteeship Agency (RITA) on an innovative campaign that helps children get birth certificates with minimum hassles.”

“The success of the birth certificate initiative in Mbeya inspired similar action in Mwanza Region. I commend Tigo for its readiness to engage in a public and private sector partnership for children in Tanzania” Dr. Gulaid added.

A name and nationality is every child’s right, enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child. In Tanzania where only one in five children under the age of five is registered at birth, we have much work to do together – the government, private sector, communities and development partners.

The Mobile birth registration (mBirth) is a tool that can help us. It is simple, affordable and accessible to many in Tanzania. The mBirth project has already been established in two regions - Mbeya and Mwanza – through funding donated by Canada through UNICEF and with assistance from Tigo, RITA and other partners.

The ‘Tupime Watoto’ project aims to expand HIV testing for children in Tanzania using mobile technology. The National Child Helpline was launched in 2013, with the aim to provide a response to child victims of violence and help them to access services. With Tigo’s support, UNICEF will be able to upgrade the National Child Helpline’s call centre to help in providing effective and timely responses to callers and improved access to services.

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Note to the Editor:

About the TIGO:
Tigo Tanzania was established in 1994 as the first mobile network in Tanzania. It is the leading innovative telecommunication company in the country, distinguished as a fully-fledged digital lifestyle brand. Tigo is the biggest commercial brand of Millicom, an international company offering a diverse product portfolio in voice, SMS, high-speed internet and mobile financial services, Tigo has pioneered innovations such as Facebook in Kiswahili, TigoPesa App for Android & iOS users, Tigo Music (Deezer) and East Africa’s first cross-border mobile money transfer with currency conversion. With over 9 million registered subscribers to their network, Tigo directly and indirectly employs over 300,000 Tanzanians including an extended network of customer service representatives, mobile money merchants, sales agents and distributors. For more information visit: www.tigo.co.tz