The Chinese telecoms giant, Huawei Technologies, on Sunday gave out 100 rams to deserving Gambian Muslims for Tuesday’s eid-el-adha. Last year, a similar number of rams were given out by the company.
In a brief statement at the handing-over ceremony at the Huawei head offices at Cape Point, Bakau, country manager Liu Fengjiang said the presentations are part of the company’s corporate social activities and expressed his hope that the donations will bring joy to at least a hundred families in the country during the important traditional Muslim festival.
He stated: “This is my first half year in The Gambia. My first impressions about The Gambia are the people’s smiles and friendliness which I love very much.
“Huawei has been in The Gambia for 16 years. In addition to helping Gambia build a digital economy and providing a platform and environment suitable for local talent cultivation and development, Huawei also proactively fulfills its corporate social responsibility.”
Of the 100 rams, 10 were given to the needy in the community of Cape Point and 10 to the people of Bakau. The rest were given to 18 other communities and were received by the minister for the interior, whom Mr Liu singled out for his “recognition and support” of Huawei in the country.
In receiving the rams, Minister Yankuba Sonko thanked Huawei on behalf of the government and the people of The Gambia for extending a helping hand to needy Muslims in the country on the occasion of eid-el-adha.
He stated: “The donation of the rams as in last year will be greatly beneficial to many families in the country who without the intervention of Huawei may not have been able to purchase a ram. So Huawei is fulfilling its corporate social responsibility and contributing to improving the lives of economically disadvantaged people in the country. Thank you for everything Huawei has done for The Gambia.”
Minister Sonko lauded Huawei as a leading global provider of telecom equipment and solutions which has been deeply involved with Gambian telecoms and IT operators. “It has been 16 years since Huawei entered The Gambia in 2005. The company has cooperated deeply with telecom operators such as Gamtel, Gamcel, Africell, QCell and Comium from CDMA to 2G, from3G to 4G to the construction of The Gambia’s communications network, directly or indirectly creating nearly 300 ICT jobs in The Gambia and providing an environment for local ICT talent cultivation,” he said.
Alhaji Lamin Allah Tentu Jawara, deputising for the alkalo and imam of Bakau, expressed his delight that Huawei offices are located in the community and thanked Mr Liu and his team for being good neighbours.
The ceremony was chaired by Mr Ismaila Wadda of Cape Point Bakau.
