Orange SL Mobile Network has hosted Sierra Leone’s maiden media, digital engagement at the Country Lodge in Freetown on Thursday 9 December 2021. The novel initiative is a game-changer in the country’s digital landscape.
Sierra Leone’s emerging digital ecosystem continues to witness a positive trajectory as the country becomes more connected, safe, and secure via the Orange network. The digital landscape in Sierra Leone, much like most countries in Africa, is a maturing one and it requires innovation in order to continually devise ways of addressing the gap that is projected to become even more critical to the evolution of the digital landscape. The emergence of the Orange SL as the country’s leading mobile network is reflective of the company’s influence on the country’s digital drive towards sustainable development.
The company has taken the bull by the horns in mapping out future strategies in line with the ambition of positioning Sierra Leone among the most connected nations in Africa and a global development partner.
The findings of the survey during the novel digital media engagement clearly show that the services that the network is providing in Sierra Leone have been positively received by the government and the people.
Speaking at the event, Orange’s Head of Public Relations Annie Wonnie Katta explained that there was a gap between the media and the company, so many of the company’s Cooperate Social Responsibility activities; products and services, and innovations were not widely known, and as a result, the company faced heavy criticism from the media that “company was here to reap [Sierra Leoneans].”
However, as a company that listens in 2019, we started updating the media quarterly on our activities. She added that since then the dynamics have changed.
She explained that now that there is a smooth flow of accurate and timely information to the public, they want to change the approach from a linear information flow to an interactive one in which they will get feedback from the public.
“We want to understand the perception of the people to know if all of the work we’ve done in the past two years has yielded dividend.” She said this is the crux of the digital engagement is getting perception as to what the public thinks of the company over the last two years. “It is like a scorecard,” she said.
Mabel Mason, Public Relations Officer (PRO) explained that this is the first of many strategic initiatives that Orange SL has plans to roll out to improve media relations. The collaboration with the media is a true reflection of the company’s commitment to ensure that the digital divide is bridged as well as providing quality and affordable service in the country.
