Airtel Touching Lives, a sustainable Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) television programme initiated to recognise and celebrate unsung heroes, acknowledging the difference they have made to the lives of others in the society has been awarded for the third year running as the Best Community Relations Programme of the Year at the Institute of Public Relations (IPR) Excellence Awards.

Airtel Touching Lives offers a platform to celebrate humanity whilst inspiring hope and enhancing people’s quality of life. The show which identifies extraordinary men and women from all walks of life also identifies people with dire needs and enable them to change their lives with Airtel’s support. It is geared towards ensuring a sustainable livelihood and long term change in the status of their lives.

The concept of Touching Lives involves the creation of an opportunity for Ghanaians to nominate people they know who are going an extra mile to make a difference in the lives of others in their families and communities.

Since the commencement of Airtel Touching Lives in 2010, Ghanaians have been inspired by the heroic deeds of people like Dr. David Fuseini Abdulai who has single-handedly decided to treat and fend for sick and mentally ill people in his community and subsequently won international recognition by winning the 2012 Martin Luther King Prize for Peace and Social Justice.

Kwabena Danso (Bambike) since his appearance on Touching Lives has since received National Youth Achiever in 2012 and 2012 World Business and Development Awards (WBDA) for his efforts to improve living standards in some of the world’s most disadvantaged communities. More recently, Touching Lives Beneficiary Winifred Selby also won the World of Children Award.

Hannah Agbozo, Legal & Corporate Affairs Director, Airtel Ghana, commenting on the awards stated, “This is the third consecutive year we are taking home this award and it is a testament of our commitment to enriching and empowering people and communities. Two of our core values at Airtel are empowering people and creating positive impact in our communities. By recognising and rewarding people who have worked selflessly to make an impact in their communities, we are fulfilling our mandate by helping them continue with their efforts to create a better world for themselves and others”.

“Touching Lives takes corporate social responsibility to different heights considering the fact that nominations are opened to Ghanaians in general, whether or not they are Airtel subscribers. We appreciate this recognition and we will continue to give a positive touch to the lives of yet another set of Ghanaians and offer them a lifetime opportunity to change their lives and that of others for the better and, by extension, contribute to the wellbeing of the citizenry”. She reiterated.

Airtel Ghana was recently recognised for its meritorious role in the promotion and improvement of education and infrastructural developments across the country as the Best CSR Company of the Year for Education at the Ghana CSR Excellence Awards.

Airtel Touching Lives over the last few years won CIMG TV Programme of the Year, CSR Company of the Year 2013 - Ghana Telecoms Awards, IPR Best Community Programme for the Year on three consecutive occasions, AGI Best CSR Company of the Year and Bharti Change Marker Award (Gold Category) in 2014.