To Support Disaster Relief in West Indonesia and the Philippines and Provide Telecom Support to Humanitarian Community and the Needy.
AT&T has made a contribution of an additional USD$25,000 to Télécoms Sans Frontières (TSF), to provide communications support in the affected area in Padang, West Indonesia where the magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck in late September, as well as Manila and Cagayan Valley, region of the Philippines which was hit by recent tropical typhoons.
AT&T has supported TSF since 2003 through an annual contribution to the French based organization. The additional US$25,000 contribution brings total support from AT&T to US$350,000 over this period. This initiative recognizes the long-standing and continuing global support for TSF by AT&T.
“Our hearts go out to the victims of these tragedies," said Bernard Yee, vice president of AT&T Asia Pacific. “As a global business, AT&T is committed to supporting the communities where we work around the world. We are honored to continue supporting the extraordinary work of TSF in the most difficult of circumstances. TSF is the leading humanitarian charitable organization in using advanced communications technology to bring humanitarian support to those in need.”
Phone lines and power supplies have been cut off in many of the affected areas. With the aim of providing crucial communications support to rescue teams in order to support emergency response services, TSF has already dispatched teams of emergency telecommunications specialists equipped with satellite equipment as well as computer and IT equipment to the affected areas. TSF also provide humanitarian calling operations so those affected can contact their families and seek assistance where necessary.
TSF staff are currently in Tarlac, one of the regions most affected by Typhoon Parma which killed more than 200 Filipinos and left hundreds of thousands homeless. They are providing free calls to people who have lost everything, in some cases waiting for days to make a call to their loved ones.
TSF has also been supporting the humanitarian community with vital communication links for the last three weeks so that they can relay the needs of those affected to the outside world and better coordinate within the affected region to provide life saving aid.
“We have had a long standing and positive relationship with AT&T,” said Jean-Francois Cazenave, President of TSF. “Support from a global organization like AT&T is very important for TSF in our mission to harness communications technology for those in real need. We are delighted to have AT&T’s continued support for our ongoing relief efforts.”
*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.
About Télécoms Sans Frontières
Télécoms Sans Frontières: the leading humanitarian NGO specialized in emergency telecommunications. With its 24-hour monitoring centre and relying on its operational bases in Europe, Central America and Asia, Télécoms Sans Frontières (TSF) crews of IT and telecoms specialists can intervene anywhere in the world in less than 24 hours. After a sudden onset disaster or conflict, they can set up in a matter of minutes a satellite-based telecoms centre offering broadband Internet, phone and fax lines. These centers enable emergency NGOs, the United Nations and local authorities to communicate right at the heart of a crisis. They also facilitate the coordination of aid efforts. In parallel, TSF runs humanitarian calling operation to offer support and assistance to affected civilians, giving them a link with the outside world from which they would be otherwise completely cut off.
Since its creation in 1998, TSF deployed to nearly 60 countries and assisted almost 500 relief organizations and millions of victims. In 2006, TSF became a partner of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). TSF is First Responder of the Emergency Telecommunications Cluster (ETC).
Télécoms Sans Frontières is also a working group member of the United Nations emergency telecoms body (WGET). TSF is a partner of the Humanitarian Aid Department of the European Commission (ECHO) and a member of the International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA).
About Philanthropy at AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is committed to advancing education, strengthening communities and improving lives. Through its philanthropic initiatives and partnerships, AT&T supports projects that create learning opportunities; promote academic and economic achievement; and address community needs. In 2007, AT&T contributed more than $164 million through corporate-, employee- and AT&T Foundation-giving programs. AT&T and the AT&T Foundation, the corporate philanthropy organization of AT&T, combine more than $1.9 billion of historic charitable commitment to communities across the country.
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