AFCON Fans Are Head Over Heels for Orange’s Latest Environment Initiative
An initiative is only meaningful when it gives back to the community; it’s not just flashy ads with superstars, and that is exactly what Orange is trying to do on the sidelines of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.
Over the last couple of weeks, Egyptian, as well as African football fans, have been actively participating in Orange’s “Games of Change”, in which the leading provider of integrated telecommunications services decided to seize the moment and do good by the environment while bringing joy to the hearts of those who need it the most.
The capacity of 2019 AFCON’s largest stadium, Cairo International Stadium, is 75,000. The stadium attracted more than 120,000 fans for the 1986 African Cup final between Egypt and Cameroon. Now, assume that 75,0000 excited football fans, cheering their hearts out, had bought one plastic water bottle each to combat the summer’s heat. Imagine 75,000 water bottles, at the least, discarded all over the stadium’s grounds.
All over the stadium, Orange has initiated several special booths with instructions where fans can discard their water bottles and other forms of plastic waste for recycling. The recycled products will be used to build a football pitch that will be donated to the “Leprosy Colony” at Abu Zabaal, Qaliubya.
Games of Change aims to raise awareness about plastic pollution, while encouraging fans to give back, all at the same time. The telecommunication giant has taken things further by dedicating a space next to its premise, where employees talk to fans plastic, recycling, and environmental protection.
The adverse effect of single-use plastic is not a problem that plagues Egypt alone, but the whole world. If we do not find safe, environmentally-friendly means to solve the issue, our planet will slowly become unable to sustain human activities. Subsequently, both brands and individuals should come together and unite on saving the environment.
