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VODAFONE HEALTHLINE SAVES 5-YEAR-OLD WITH EYE TUMOUR

Life will never be the same again for a five-year-old and her foster parents after the multiple award-winning TV programme, Vodafone Healthline, gave her another opportunity to see the beautiful things in life.

Sarah Botchway was saved her from an eye tumour.

Similar to previous seasons, the episode featured the touching story of Sarah who was born with a tumour on her left eye.

As part of the programme, Vodafone arranged and paid the full cost involved to enable Sarah to undergo surgery in order to correct the anomaly.

Recounting Sarah’s condition, her foster mother Dede Hammond said, “The stigma associated with Sarah’s condition was so unbearable for her mother; she abandoned her at an early age. After she left, we took Sarah in as our daughter and have gone to great lengths to get her medical support but we are financially challenged.

“We are therefore happy and grateful that Vodafone Healthline came to our rescue. Thank you, Vodafone Ghana.’’

Vodafone Ghana, through its Healthline programme, has supported and transformed the lives of hundreds of Ghanaians who have undergone various surgeries for life-threatening conditions including hydrocephalus, cataract, hernia, fibroids and heart-related problems.

It has also educated and demystified various myths on health-related conditions.

Vodafone Healthline shows on UTV on Mondays at 9 pm; TV3 on Sundays at 3 pm; Adom TV on Saturdays at 8:30 pm; TV Africa on Saturday at 7:30 pm, and on Family TV on Sundays at 8 pm.

Source: myjoyonline.com

 

MTN LAUNCHES DEVICE-FINANCING SCHEME

Partners - MTN- Samsung- Ecobank in a pose after the launch

Ghana’s leading telecommunications company, MTN Ghana, has in partnership with Samsung and Ecobank Ghana (Ghana’s Biggest Universal Bank), launched the “’Pick And Pay Later’ service that is aimed at allowing customers of MTN and Ecobank to own selected Samsung devices and pay in instalments under a special financing scheme by Ecobank.

The “’Pick and Pay Later’ service allows customers of MTN Ghana and Ecobank to purchase selected Samsung devices and pay in installments over a period of 6 to 12 months. As part of this arrangement, customers can own a Samsung Galaxy and pay as low as GHC38.00 cedis a month. In addition, customers will enjoy free MTN data bundles for a period of 6 months.

Speaking at the launch held at the MTN House, the Chief Marketing Officer of MTN Ghana, Noel Kojo-Ganson explained that the service is in response to the growing demand for quality devices with advanced features for enhanced data connectivity.

“Research indicates that Ghana’s year-on-year digital growth as at January 2019 is 11%, and this is expected to increase in the years to come. With this in mind, we have made conscious efforts to create opportunities for many of our customers to access devices that enable them connect to friends and family easily, hence the partnership with Samsung and Ecobank”, Mr. Kojo Ganson said.

He further noted that, the launch of the device financing scheme gives people who want to enhance their digital experience the opportunity to do so without any undue financial stress.

Commenting on the partnership and Samsung’s contribution to making original devices available to MTN subscribers, the Managing Director for Samsung Mr. Eugene Nahm said, “Samsung is committed to providing meaningful innovation and a better mobile experience for all. We are most excited about this partnership because as people change the way they connect with friends, family and even business they need mobile devices that can keep up, and now MTN subscribers will enjoy the best of Samsung Galaxy devices such as the next-level PowerPhone the Galaxy Note 10 through to the Galaxy A series stress-free because finance will no longer be a barrier.”

On his part, the Regional Head of Consumer Banking for Ecobank Ghana and Anglophone West Africa, Mr. Tara Squire said, “Ecobank comes into this partnership with a bouquet of financing arrangements that is structured to suit the varied needs of our customers. One can pick a top of the range Samsung phone or other hand-held Samsung device of choice and pay monthly. We present very flexible, fast, exciting, convenient and cost-effective consumer credit schemes, no matter your budget or salary. Just walk into the nearest MTN shop or any Ecobank Branch and a Relationship Manager or Branch Manager will be ready to assist you. We invite all salaried workers to take advantage of this offer by buying their dream Samsung Phones and paying later over 12 months”.

Working with the conviction that, everyone deserves the benefit of a modern connected life, MTN Ghana has over the past two decades, committed to creating a brand that connects people through telecommunications services while at the same time, keeping customers abreast with technological advancement. Some interventions made by MTN to increase the penetration of Smartphones on its network has been to partner with original equipment manufacturers to provide affordable smartphones for its subscribers.

Source: www.businessghana.com

MTN, IWF LAUNCH CHILD ONLINE PROTECTION INITIATIVE

MTN Group has confirmed its partnership with NGO the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) and the launch of a child online protection initiative.

The operator claims to be the first Africa-wide telecommunications firm to partner with the IWF and the initiative is in line with its ‘we’re good together’ campaign launched in October. The aim of this campaign is to show how partnerships can help accelerate digital inclusion for the good of society.

According to a statement issued by MTN, the membership agreement will offer support services from IWF to MTN. These include alerts to MTN Group if a domain under MTN’s control is found to host child sexual abuse content. Such domains will be blocked automatically.

Using IWF’s confidential reporting portal, MTN encourages its customers and members of the public to safely and anonymously report online Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM).

IWF will investigate all reports and work with country partner hotlines or international law enforcement agencies to ensure that confirmed cases of child sexual abuse content on the internet are removed at source, the partners explain.

Rob Shuter, MTN Group chief executive officer and President said, “The free, open nature of information and communication technologies, while benefitting society, unfortunately also creates opportunities for people to develop online relationships with vulnerable children, join communities that harm children, and share sexually-abusive material on children. As MTN is expanding the digital sphere, both on the continent and globally, it is important to us that we ensure that all who are touched by our products and services are impacted positively, including children.”

He added, “Through the partnership, we hope to play our part in the fight against the exploitation of children on the internet and educating children and young people about the safe and responsible usage of ICT. ”

IWF chief executive officer Susie Hargreaves OBE said: “We’re delighted that MTN has chosen to demonstrate their commitment to a safer internet for everyone by becoming a member of the Internet Watch Foundation. It’s only thanks to partnerships like these that we’re able to drive forward our mission to eliminate photos and videos of child sexual abuse from the internet. As the largest mobile operator in Africa, MTN’s alliance with the IWF will significantly impact the spread of criminal imagery across the continent and further afield.”

MTN adds that it is a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact as well as the GSMA Mobile Alliance Against Child Sexual Abuse.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

MICROSOFT CALLS FOR NEW WAVE OF PRIVACY PROTECTION

Microsoft president Brad Smith (pictured) outlined the importance for technology companies in delivering privacy protections to address new challenges raised by the digital era.

He said with a new wave of technology there must also be a “new wave of privacy protection, security protection”, along with measures to safeguard ethics. “We need to recognise as technology moves forward, we need to stop leaving people behind”.

“Today cloud computing is ubiquitous all around the world. It reduced the cost of access to technology, it has led to an explosion in data. We will start the next decade with 25-times as much digital data as we had in 2010”, Smith predicted.

Other trends the executive expects over the next decade include a combination of traditional computing with emerging quantum efforts, and a rise in the number of data centres along with innovations in how data is stored and processed.

“We are going to see 5G become 6G and computing will become ambient, it will be in every device, every corner, every part of our homes”.

Role of AI
In a keynote, Smith addressed concerns around AI, predicting the conversation would move on to address more general deployments of the technology.

He noted “any tool can also become a weapon”, including AI, therefore, companies need to “think as never before about what it means in terms of broader societies”.

“We need to ask what computers shouldn’t do. We are the first generation in the history of humanity who will empower machines to make decisions…If we get it wrong, every generation that follows us will pay a price”, he said.

Smith appealed for technology companies to work more closely with governments to address new challenges around accessibility and environmental sustainability and show the industry is “committed to use technology to solve the world’s problems”.

He cited the use of AI to gather and analyse data to prevent illegal fishing as an example.

Smith also called for the reach of technology to be broadened, noting that more than 20 million Americans still lack broadband access.

Source: mobileworldlive