everyone.connected | 13 Feb 2024

“In my darkest hours the connectivity was my anchor”

This is how Vodafone’s free everyone.connected SIMs can be a lifeline to people otherwise struggling to access everyday essentials.

“In my darkest hours the connectivity was my anchor. It allowed me to make essential calls, attend crucial appointments, and take the first steps toward independence.”

This testimony comes from a domestic abuse survivor. Separated from her children and facing a difficult legal battle, she struggled to access essential services without a mobile phone contract even with the support of a specialist community charity.

Unconnected.org, an organisation that helps people without connectivity, provided her with a free Vodafone SIM card from the company’s everyone.connected campaign. The free connectivity also enabled her to work part-time as a care worker, another important step in her journey to independence.

The impact of accessing essentials, from booking appointments and searching for jobs to joining online classes and keeping in touch with loved ones, as well as the importance of connectivity in creating independence, is highlighted in the experience of another SIM recipient.

Helping Ukrainian refugee kids through the power of reading

Vodafone's charities.connected free SIMs initiative is helping to connect digitally excluded people with the support of its 1,500-plus charity partners.

A young refugee, reflecting on her experiences, said: “Forced to leave everything behind, you do not realise how much you depend on connectivity. When I finally found myself connected again it became my lifeline. It helped me learn English, navigate a new world, and stay close to my mother despite the miles.”

While many of us take connectivity for granted, it is an everyday necessity required to access essential services and stay in touch with our support networks. Unconnected.org is one of over 2,000 charities that have joined Vodafone’s charities.connected initiative, which is itself part of the everyone.connected campaign to help 4 million people and businesses cross the digital divide by 2025.

Each everyone.connected SIM comes with 40GB of mobile data every month, as well as unlimited texts and calls, for six months.

Sharing these stories, Unconnected.org remarked that “these are just some of the stories that inspire us, fuel our determination, and remind us that connectivity is not just about technology—it’s about transforming lives and building brighter futures.”

If you are a charity that may benefit from Vodafone’s charities.connected free SIMs programme, click on the link to find out more.

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