Nestle Burkina Faso launches “Race for Life” to promote healthier living
Nestlé Burkina Faso, in partnership with the Mayor of Ouagadougou and the Burkinabé Pediatric Society have organised the first edition of the corporate fund raising sports event called "Race for Life," with the aim to purchase incubators for the newborns. The event was was held on November 11, 2017 at the BCEAO's airy space located in Ouagadougou in 2000 and brought together more than fifty companies.
Many hospitals in Burkina Faso do not have adequate incubators in the hospitals for children born prematurely, and it was in response to addressing the issue, that the initiative was mooted by Nestle to support a noble cause, and was supported by other businesses, as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility. For Nestle, this action is in line with our company’s purpose: “enhancing the quality of life and contributing to a healthier future”.
"The initiative was born about five or six months ago. We realized that the need for birth emergency equipment and as a corporate citizen we had to get together other corporate citizens to make our contribution to remedy this situation in order to reduce the mortality rate and infant morbidity in hospitals,” explained Bruno Karim El Kasri, CEO of Nestlé Burkina.
50 million FCFA is the sum total amount raised at the end of the race. The cheque was handed over to the Burkinabé Pediatric Society, for the purchase of incubators for the newborns. The president of the Burkina Faso Pediatric Society, Prof. Ludovic Kam said: "Mortality and neonatal morbidity remain a reality in Burkina Faso and the amount realised through this corporate race is timely in that it will allow hospitals in the city of Ouagadougou to have incubators and emergency equipment in neonatology to cope with this situation.”
The event began in the morning with a competition between the different companies, to develop the spirit of cohesion and to contribute to improving the health of their staff. 28 companies competed in a 10-kilometer relay race won by the Orange Burkina Faso mobile phone team.
Representative of Orange Burkina, Léonce Korahiré said: “we prepared to come running for the purpose of burning calories to pay for incubators. We are happy to be first”.
Main partner of the activity, the town hall whose team consisted of police came second in the race. For the Mayor of Ouagadougou Armand Béouindé the most important achievement is to have participated in this activity to help save lives: "We run for life to give life hope to the most vulnerable. So this is the place to congratulate all these companies, about fifty of the city of Ouagadougou. For a first edition, I think it is really a success. We have seen the enthusiasm of all teams and I think we have achieved our goal. The important thing is not the ranking; it is to participate and to show that together by making an effort, we can bring a lot to our city. It is this effort that is symbolized by this race for life.”
3rd of the competition, the Nestlé Burkina company, initiator of this event, just like the first two companies, received a trophy, the big trophy being won by Orange Burkina. For Bruno Karim El Kasri, the CEO of this company, this first edition was a success: "It's a good-natured atmosphere. I am glad that several companies registered for the race. I am happy with the results and the atmosphere that it has been able to give. This is a first edition and the expectation is that the activity is sustainable. "
Nestlé Burkina, came third at the event, For Bruno Karim El Kasri, the CEO of this company, this first edition was a success: "It's a good-natured atmosphere. I am glad that several companies registered for the race. I am happy with the results and the atmosphere that it has been able to give. This is a first edition and the expectation is that the activity is sustainable.
