Inmarsat has committed to supporting UK sport and education charity Bhubesi Pride Foundation for a further three years.
The charity runs annual rugby coaching expeditions, using the sport as a tool for education and development in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Teams of volunteer coaches visit dozens of schools and community centres in nine countries during five-month tours starting each February, with the aim of uniting communities, upskilling local leaders and leaving behind tangible legacy projects.
Since 2012, Inmarsat has sponsored Bhubesi Pride by providing satellite equipment and airtime. Last year, the tour relied on an IsatPhone Pro satellite phone to stay connected as they crossed the continent, spending many days in locations with little or no terrestrial connectivity.
Richard Bennett, Bhubesi Pride Founder and Director, said the satphone gave them peace of mind – whether it was a problem with the cars, an accident or medical emergency – because they could always contact the next town for help.
“I’m responsible for the wellbeing of up to 10 people and, without this back-up, I would never venture out into the wild with the group,” he said.
During 2015, 2016 and 2017 the charity will benefit from direct Inmarsat sponsorship during the annual five-month expeditions. The team will also take an Inmarsat BGAN terminal for voice and data communications and the new-generation satellite phone, IsatPhone 2 on tour.
IsatPhone 2’s robust handset has been designed to cope with the heat and dust the team will encounter, and offers unrivalled battery life – plus the reassurance of operating over the reliable Inmarsat-4 network.
Gordon McMillan, Head of Market Development (Africa), Inmarsat Global Government, commented: “Bhubesi Pride’s focus on developing leadership and teamwork will make a really sustainable difference to the African communities in which the Foundation invests its time and energy. We are delighted to be playing a part in this amazing success story, and in a small way make a contribution to the successful development of some of Africa’s future generation.”
