What corporate social responsibility should be

For instance, I know of a company that depends on contracts from a particular government establishment donating some of its products to a department in the establishment and calling it CSR. Who does not know this is just a subtle way to further ensure the company in question is in the good books of the […]

For instance, I know of a company that depends on contracts from a particular government establishment donating some of its products to a department in the establishment and calling it CSR. Who does not know this is just a subtle way to further ensure the company in question is in the good books of the establishment and thus continue to get regular contracts from it.

So, while virtually all the companies in Nigeria want to be seen as socially responsible, indeed, very few are really committed to the core idea of CSR – which is giving back to the society where they are making their money.

I have always had my reservations about the big telecommunication companies in Nigeria, including MTN. This is largely because, despite the fact that they are making a lot of money, the quality of their services still leaves a lot to be desired. Yet, they are always wooing Nigerians with all sorts of promos that are basically more self-serving than beneficial to their customers.

However, I have a personal experience of MTN’s medical assistance to a family recently which I consider not only a good example of CSR but has also made me realise that the company actually identifies with and supports humanitarian causes.

I know about this action of MTN because it happened to a family I know very well.  The Ademola Aminu family is based in Ipetumodu, a small town in Osun State. The family comprises three children.  Their first born, a girl is about three years old.  The wife, Kafilat, who happened to be my immediate younger sister also delivered two male identical twins more than a year ago and since then, the young family has been facing a serious medical challenge because one of the twins had a heart problem from birth.

Apart from the fact that the twins spent months at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, where they were referred to after birth, as the babies were delivered prematurely, the young family had been under tremendous strain since then, visiting the hospital all the time on account of the heart problem of one of the twins.

It was at OAU Teaching Hospital that doctors told them the baby must have a very expensive corrective heart surgery, if the baby is to have a chance to live a healthy life. They were told that the surgical operation can be done in Nigeria but further enquiries revealed that the operation is better done abroad, where the required facilities and manpower are available.  

Then, the problem of how to raise the funds for such an exercise arose.  Both husband and wife are middle level civil servants, working in a local government establishment in Ipetumodu, Osun State, and obviously cannot finance such operation on their own.

They tried some organisations to seek help but failed to get any assistance.  Then, the husband, Mr Ademola Aminu, heard about MTN Foundation and wrote to the foundation for assistance and to his pleasant surprise, the organisation invited them for discussion.  

After an examination of the baby, MTN decided to assist by sponsoring the operation. The MTN Foundation personnel also agreed that the operation could be better done abroad.  

In December last year, MTN flew the mother and the baby to Apollo Hospital, India, where the baby, Taye, had his operation.  The mother and child were there for about three weeks at the expense of MTN, which also settled the medical bills.  Thanks to God, the operation was successful and mother and child came back happily on 9th of January to rejoin the family.

Baby Taye, before the operation, hardly smiled because his breathing was always quite laborious. But since they returned the boy is always grinning.

The communication giant also spent a lot of money to accommodate the family in a hotel in Ikoyi Lagos prior to their flight to India and after they came back before they went back to Ipetomodu.  The mother was so happy that she had gone to procure an MTN sim card as she was not even using the network before.

I have found out that the Ademola Aminu family is not the only beneficiary of this kind and humane gesture of the MTN Foundation.  I have also read that MTN is set to donate haemodialysis equipment to 12 medical institutions drawn from the six geo-political zones of the country to help poor Nigerians with kidney problem.

This MTN assistance to Nigerians with medical challenges is not only commendable, it is a worthy example of what other big companies making a lot of money in Nigeria should be doing.  If all the big companies in Nigeria can follow the MTN example of CSR, we shall be making this society a much better place.

Moshood is a Lagos-based journalist