Accra, Sept. 24, GNA - The management of Vodafone Group Foundation Plc (VGF), on Tuesday announced a 45,000 pounds sterling package for each of the six winners of this year's "World of Difference Programme" to undertake charity projects of their choice in Africa. The winners were Lucy Caslon, Naomi Glass, Andrew Lamb, Alexander McLean, Miguel Ramirez and Jean Westmacott.

A statement issued by the Foundation in Accra said the winners would be working with charities involved in children with HIV/AIDS, disaster relief, welfare, health and education for prisoners. The rest were, solving energy needs of developing countries and helping children with cerebral palsy in African countries, including Ghana.

The statement said the winners including barristers and other high calibre professionals, would put their jobs on-hold for a year and take their skills and passion to work for their favourite charities. "The winning sum of 45,000 pounds sterling is made up of 25,000 pounds towards their charity works and 20,000 pounds sterling in expenses for the period," it said.

Mr Nick Read, CEO of Vodafone UK said "we were bowled over by the calibre and number of entries the Foundation received this year, and choosing the finalists was a tough decision." He said management of Vodafone was delighted to offer the winners the opportunity to make a huge difference within the charities they had chosen. "Seeing the successes that other winners have accomplished around the globe, I am certain that they would all achieve great things during the forthcoming year," he said.

Oscar nominee Samantha Morton, an advocate of World of Difference Programme said it was inspiring to hear the dedication and passion that each of the winners had, adding "with the support of Vodafone Foundation, their charities would be able to extend their reach or embark on new projects."

The statement outlined specific projects to be undertaking by each of the winners in Africa. It said Alexander McLean had set up the African Prisons Project to improve the welfare, health and education of detainees in some African prisons.

This would include the establishment of an education facility in a women's prison and build a day-care centre for children of inmates. It said Miguel D. Ramirez had established SolarAid, to research into renewable sources of energy with SolarAid, including training local communities to modify devices, such as kerosene lamps to use solar power.

The statement said Lucy Calson established Msizi Africa during her spare time and raised 30,000 pounds sterling on her own to help relieve the hardship of children in Africa where the AIDS pandemic had left many children without any families. It said Naomi Glass of Spitalfields City Farm would work with management of the farm to extend its reach to educate disadvantaged youth and their parents, including those who found classroom-based learning a challenge.

The statement said Jean Westmascott had also set up "Cerebral Palsy Africa" and through her training as a nurse, developed a holistic approach to working with people including those with cerebral palsy. She would establish a training resource centre in the UK and undertake a three-way link with key people in Africa including Ghana, Malawi and Zambia.

It said Andrew Lamb of Engineers without Borders UK, would lead the new UK arm of the organizations to obtain more funding and place engineers on voluntary projects to help relieve poverty in developing countries.

The Foundation has invested over 100 million pounds sterling in projects since its establishment in 2002 concentrating on disaster relief, helping disadvantaged children through sports and music initiatives and specific projects across Vodafone's 23 local Foundations worldwide. It runs the World of Difference Programme through most of its 23 local foundations.