Business implementation - How to get involved

It is on the business front that Cell C Corporate Social Investment Manager, Mercia Maserumule, sees great potential for growth. “Although great strides have been made in empowering the women of our country, the glass ceiling still has to be broken. I believe both government and the private sector can make opportunities and resources available by taking the lead in real transformation and leadership development. They can also provide the platform for active participation in economic activities and, last but not least, they can create enabling environments for girls to grow and develop in the workplace.”

Employers that are interested, can look at three levels of involvement. On the Formal Partnership level, companies have the opportunity to host a minimum of 20 girls from a school selected by Cell C in cooperation with the Department of Education. Cell C will run complementary workshops for both the companies and schools, which will be backed up by guidebooks and promotional materials. In addition, Cell C will provide the transportation for the 20 learners to the formal partners on the day. This option is open to the first 200 companies to register between now and Friday, 4 April 2008.

The second option is the Supporting Partnership level whereby registered companies will host schools of their choice. Cell C encourages companies to partner with a school or schools from historically disadvantaged communities. Cell C will be providing guidebooks and promotional materials to supporting partners who will be responsible for the girl's transportation on the day.

The third level is the Informal Partnership, which encourages companies to get their employees to bring along their daughters, sisters, cousins, granddaughters and nieces to the workplace. Supporting material such as the guidebooks and promotional material is available on the Cell C website and can be down loaded by the companies.

More information on the registration process is available online at www.cellc.co.za/girlchild, while online registration forms are available on http://www.cellc.co.za/microsites/girlchild/content/registration/index.asp.

The rewards of becoming a partner in the initiative make long-term Take A Girl Child To Work Day® involvement a worthwhile option. Maserumule explains: “I believe becoming involved will be a reward in itself for our partners. However, to show our heartfelt gratitude to our partners, we've also introduced the Innovation Awards which are presented to companies that have gone the extra mile in maintaining relationships with the schools hosted and providing further support beyond the day. This is in line with our commitment to maintain the momentum gained through the project and making it more sustainable.

About Cell C
Cell C (Pty) Ltd is one of three cellular operators in South Africa. Cell C offers products and services to more than 4.2 million active subscribers, over one million post-paid subscribers and more than 110 000 community service telephones. With a network capable of providing voice, data and multimedia communications, the company is committed to delivering to subscribers a full range of GSM services, based on the key principles of affordability, accessibility and value for money. Launched in November 2001, Cell C has rolled out 2 176 base stations nationwide and now carries over 86% of its own traffic. The network operator has roaming agreements with 398 telecommunications operators in 166 countries worldwide. Cell C is South Africa's most empowered telecommunications company in terms of equity ownership, preferential procurement, employment equity and enterprise and skills development. Visit: www.cellc.co.za for more information on Cell C and its products and services.