Telus announced last week the launch of its new Mobility for Good for Indigenous Women at Risk program in Manitoba, in partnership with the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs – First Nations Family Advocate Office (AMC-FNFAO) and non-profit Indigenous services organization Ka Ni Kanichihk.
This marks the third expansion of Telus’s program that provides free smartphones and wireless services to Indigenous women who may be at risk of or experiencing violence. First launched in Alberta and B.C. in 2021, and later expanded to Ontario and Quebec, the Telus Mobility for Good for Indigenous Women at Risk program is part of the Telus Connecting for Good portfolio of programs.
Telus’s partnership with AMC-FNFAO and Ka Ni Kanichihk aims to empower First Nations, Métis and Inuit women through access to free phones and wireless plans, helping them stay connected to their support networks, resources and emergency services, said a Telus press release.
“Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people continue to face unacceptable levels of violence. We have a responsibility towards their safety and well-being and respond to the 231 Calls for Justice, particularly Call for Justice 15,” said Shazia Zeb Sobani, vice president of fibre networks at Telus and executive sponsor of Eagles, Telus’s Indigenous employee resource group and corporate lead for Telus’s Indigenous Reconciliation Action Plan.
“By expanding our Mobility for Good program for Indigenous women at risk in Manitoba, we’re providing a crucial connection to help and support. We’re honoured to partner with Indigenous-led organizations to help Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people stay connected to their families, communities and the vital support networks they need,” Zeb Sobani said.
AMC-FNFAO and Ka Ni Kanichihk have begun distributing smartphones and wireless plans from Telus to support at-risk Indigenous women in Manitoba.
“A collaborative approach is essential to effectively address the urgent issue of MMIWG2S+,” said Tammy Hamelin, director of programs at Ka Ni Kanichihk. “This partnership demonstrates the power of collective action and highlights the importance of working together to create lasting change. We applaud this initiative and remain committed to fostering collaborative efforts that prioritize the safety and well-being of First Nations women and girls across Canada as an important step toward reconciliation.”
Telus said, since the Mobility for Good for Indigenous Women at Risk program’s initial launch in 2021, more than 6,000 individuals have been supported through 39 partner organizations.
