Telstra International: Connecting Globally, Impacting Locally - A Wrap-up of International Changemakers Week!

At Telstra International, we are about making a difference in the world. Our employees embody this every day, bringing to life our ambition tagline of "Global connections. Infinite possibilities." We believe in redefining the concepts of "connections" and "possibilities," mobilizing our global workforce to create positive change. 

That's why we dedicated June 5th to June 10th, 2023, as our first-ever International Changemakers Week, named after one of our core values, #WeAreChangemakers. This initiative ignited over 45 service events across 30 locations, spanned four continents (Asia, Europe, Americas, and Oceania) seeing nearly a thousand taking the time to give back. This week of service represents our commitment to the communities we operate in while enabling individuals to make a collective and meaningful impact. We are proud to celebrate the daily commitments we make to our local communities.

Together with non-profit organizations worldwide, we hosted service projects that addressed real community needs. Our incredible volunteers volunteered across more than 45 initiatives, including: 

• June 5: In Fiji, our volunteers created a safe and secure space for young women and children through gardening, composting, potting, and painting. 
• June 6: In Bangalore, Pune and Hyderabad, our volunteers cleaned their local parks of 450 kgs of plastic waste, hosted painting competitions, planted trees, engaged youth in knowledge-sharing sessions, and assisted with sports activities at a school.
• June 7: In Singapore, our volunteers cared for their local waterways, picking up litter both on foot and in the water on kayaks
• June 8: In Los Angeles, our volunteers made a difference by cleaning up the beach.
• June 9: In Sydney, our volunteers helped preserve the environment by planting trees at reserves.
• June 10: In Hong Kong, our volunteers inspired the next generation by teaching kids micro-bit coding. 

Oliver Camplin-Warner, CEO of Telstra International, expressed his pride: "What's been different this year, is the fact that not only we have supported charities through the year, but for one week we came together as a collective. We had almost a thousand volunteers doing incredible things and being truly amazing, making an incredible impact to so many fantastic causes and this fills my heart with joy.” 

Throughout the week, we saw the inspiring work of our Changemaker Leads, like Kimli Ng, a Solution Sales Specialist based in Singapore. Kimli's dedication to volunteering and organizing events, including the cleaning of Marina Reservoir waterways, exemplifies the impact one person can have.

“Being part of the team that cleaned the local waterways was fulfilling and fun. It was a great reminder how our actions can shape our environment,” she said. 

Margaret Chan, Head of Marketing & Engagement at Telstra International, highlighted our civic engagement on a global scale.” By collaborating with our global partners, we are forging deeper connections not only within local communities but also as a team.” 

• “Planting trees across Sydney’s national parks is a hands-on way to contribute to the environment. It is satisfying to know that these trees will continue to grow for years to come." - Lawrence Mak, Sydney
• “Powerful to see the importance of biodiversity and sustainability. A window into impact of microplastics, and how we could do better.” - Matt Hildebrand, Melbourne
• "Creating a fun and safe space for kids to learn about mental health is so vital as we seek to build up the next generation of leaders in Hong Kong.” - Alexander Lee, Hong Kong
• “The London based team helped renovate an adventure playground and community garden serving their local inner-city community. The Paris team supported a local charity in handing out meals to those in need. Two incredibly worthwhile causes. We are also planning to follow up on this with similar events for our teams in Sweden and Germany. Incredibly grateful to our community and our volunteers” - David Williams, London
• “Our International Changemakers event in Paris was fantastic; truly humbling and at times confronting, from bantering with a crowd of English-speaking refugees on one corner to calling paramedics for a man in medical need on another. I’ll hold with me the importance of a smile, eye contact and a hello to our homeless community anywhere and the value of human connection. A truly fantastic social impact event!” - Lauren Ellison, Paris
• “It was incredible to see individuals joining in from diverse backgrounds, who are all so passionate about creating positive change and making a difference, this was indeed a transformative experience” - Kiran Dahiya, Hyderabad 

We would not have achieved this without the help of our partners, one of which is the Digicel PNG Foundation, which organised the following events; cleaning and repainting classrooms at Sevese Morea Primary School and Cheshire Disability Services in the National Capital District, refurbishment of a mini library and book donation for Situm Primary School in Lae, donation of baby bundles to Waniati Maternal Waiting Home in Goroka, and donation of toiletries to Mt. Hagen General Hospital in Western Highlands Province. A total of about 1,104 hours (about 1 and a half months) of company time for 135 staff attending all five events.  

As Telstra International continues to foster global connections and explore infinite possibilities, our dedication to giving back remains steadfast. International Changemakers Week is a testament to the power of collective action, and we are truly grateful to our people, partners, and communities in coming together. Many thanks to everyone involved to do our part in towards building a better world.