Telekom is mobilizing across international borders to extend aid to the victims of the earthquake in Nepal: phone calls and text messages from and to Nepal are refunded, monetary donations collected and aid packages prepared for shipment.
According to the latest reports, the devastating earthquake that struck Nepal on April 25 has claimed the lives of over 7,200 people. Many of the survivors are homeless, suffering from a lack of food and drinking water, and in need of medical assistance. The world sympathizes with their plight.
Waiving roaming charges
Not just in Germany, but virtually around the world Deutsche Telekom subsidiaries are supporting communications in the crisis region. T-Mobile in the US, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and Austria along with Crnogorski Telekom (Montenegro) as well as Telekom Romania are currently waiving charges for calls and, in some cases, for text messages from and to Nepal. Mobile communications customers who are active as aid workers in Nepal and calling or writing to friends and relatives around the world have been doing so completely free of charge from some providers since April 25.
Monetary donations for aid organizations
Telekom companies around the globe are using newsletters and their websites to urge people to donate to aid organizations like Save the Children, the Red Cross and World Vision. These aid organizations are working in Nepal to provide people with fresh water, medicine and emergency shelters. The Group is setting a good example: Deutsche Telekom has donated 50,000 euros in immediate aid to its long-term cooperation partner Aktion Deutschland Hilft and Hrvatski Telekom has provided money to help finance the work of UNICEF. Customers of T-Mobile US can make a donation directly via their telephone bill. Slovak Telekom has set up a donation hotline and donations can be made via text messages with T-Mobile in Romania and Poland as well as Telekom Romania.
Food packages
A joint event organized by T-Systems Malaysia and the international aid organization Stop Hunger Now aims to improve the food supply situation in the earthquake region. On May 8, 10,000 aid packages will be filled with food and shipped. Every package contains a daily ration of food for one adult. Donations for a second event of this type are already being collected by Malaysian T-Systems staff members.