When it comes to corporate csr giving flowers to female members of staff on women’s day is no longer enough. This year, the csr team of ABB’s Italian branch takes the worldwide event that celebrates women back to its roots by supporting women centred project in Kampala, Uganda.
The international day, celebrated on March 8 by countries around the world, was born to raise awareness of the role played by women in the world’s social, economic and political battles. Today, Ugandan women living in Kampala’s slums are still fighting, day after day, against poverty and AIDS. Their creativity and the strength of a nurse called Rose has empowered them, with the help of Italian NGO Avsi, to break the cycle of poverty – first through the creation of Meeting International Point, a centre to take care of women with AIDS and orphans, and now also through the establishment of a small handicraft business. The workshop is modest but filled with laughter and the products – hand made necklaces made of recycled paper pearls – are a symbol of their determination to win the battle against AIDS, to send their children to school and to give birth to a new life despite their illness.
ABB Italia has chosen to give every female employee a necklace made by the women in Kampala to celebrate this year’s Women’s Day and to pledge its support for all activities that promote human rights in countries where these continue to be violated. ABB has supported ASVI since 2003 developing a strong corporate-non profit relationship with the NGO that has resulted in several fundraising and awareness raising campaigns, photographic exhibitions and the construction of Kitgum hospital in Uganda.
