Posted by By EMMA EMEOZOR on
Three Nigerians are among volunteers climbing the Kilimanjaro Mountain on Monday to raise funds for HIV/AIDS-orphaned children in Africa.
…To raise funds for HIV orphans
Three Nigerians are among volunteers climbing the Kilimanjaro Mountain on Monday to raise funds for HIV/AIDS-orphaned children in Africa.
David Adeyanju, Edem Andah and Ralph Gbobo, all managers of Shell Nigeria Oil Products Limited (SNOP) will join 42 volunteers from other African countries as ambassadors of the 30 downstream companies of Shell in Africa.
The programme tagged ‘Kili Challenge Initiative' is being organized by SNOP. At a flag-off ceremony held on Tuesday in Lagos, the Managing Director of SNOP, Mr. Banji Ogungbemi told reporters that the ‘Kilimanjaro climb' is directed towards enhancing the company's contribution in alleviating the plight of HIV/AIDS-orphans.
'We believe supporting HIV/AIDS-orphans is a long term and sustainable strategy in managing HIV/AIDS threat and this is aligned to Shell strategy in the fight against the epidemic in Africa," Ogungbemi said.
He said it would be wrong for anybody to conclude that Shell has nothing to do with HIV/AIDS. 'The implementation of our Sustainable Development Strategies focuses on providing visible benefits to communities in which we operate" and a key driver of the strategy is 'finding the means for people to be healthier, safer, freer and richer in ways that do not exceed the planet's carrying capacity or sacrifice the happiness of future generations," Ogungbemi explained.
Commenting on the choice of Kilimanjaro, Ogungbemi said there was a felt need to create adventure to highlight the magnitude of the problem. 'We want to create adventure, Kilimanjaro is of a high altitude with snow. The problem of HIV/AIDS is, also, of a high altitude…that is the literary link between ‘Kilimanjaro climb' and the scourge of HIV/AIDS pandemic."
Ogungbemi disclosed that the number of orphans in sub-Saharan Africa is about 34 million and 'some one-third of these are victims of AIDS." He commended Adeyanju, Andah and Gbobo for their courage in accepting the challenge to represent Shell Nigeria. 'I commend the courage of these three gentlemen. Surmounting the highest mountain in Africa, the only place where you can find snow in the continent in not picnic." Ogungbemi believes that the courage of the company's ‘Kili team' was 'a step towards changing the world in our own little way."
In his reaction, the Country Director of Hope Worldwide, Mr. Yemi Osilaja highlighted how difficult it was ten years ago to get companies or organizations to respond to call for assistance in the fight against HIV/AIDS and commended SNOP for the initiative.
'It is an incredible new initiative having Shell on board. It will make great impact on Hope Worldwide activities." Osila said the ‘Kili climb' would further highlight the plight of HIV/AIDS-orphaned kids in Africa. SNOP is one of the five Shell companies in Nigeria.
It is collaborating with Hope Worldwide, Rotary International and Explicit Communications Limited in the ‘Kili climb' initiative.