2006 news releases

We See You Mission Will Deliver Help And Hope To Kenya

December 1, 2006

SaskTel, the Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region and Professor Pammla Petrucka of the University of Saskatchewan’s School of Nursing are teaming up to deliver a 40-foot container of medical supplies and other essential items to the community of Makina in Kenya as part of the We See You Mission. Today – World Aids Day – SaskTel employees, SaskTel Pioneers and student volunteers with the SaskTel YOUTHnetwork Community Corps will load the container at the Regina General Hospital. The container is scheduled to arrive in Makina, Kenya in early February, 2007.

This is the first shipment of a larger mission to respond to the challenges of AIDS and poverty that impact the lives of people in the developing world. For the Makina shipment, SaskTel will pay for the container and all shipping costs, which will amount to approximately $10,000. Professor Petrucka has worked with Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region to assemble medical equipment and supplies which will fill about half the container. SaskTel employees and SaskTel YOUTHnetwork partner schools have donated other essential items such as blankets, clothing, homemade teddy bears,school supplies and 40 computers for use in the local school and clinic.

“World Aids Day is an appropriate occasion to remember those who need a helping hand in our world,” SaskTel President and CEO Robert Watson said. “SaskTel International has spent many years working in East Africa and we’re proud to give something back to a region that has provided wonderful learning and business opportunities to SaskTel and its employees.”

"Having the right equipment and supplies is vital to provide adequate healthcare," said Lloyd Boutilier, Vice Chairperson of the Regina Qu'Appelle Regional Health Authority. "We are delighted that the Region is able to provide the equipment that will be used to help the people of Kenya," said Boutilier.

The SaskTel YOUTHnetwork Community Corps and its partner schools are supplying various items to include in the container. For example, students at Nutana Collegiate and Bedford Road in Saskatoon held a teddy bear bee with the SaskTel Pioneers to make 100 teddy bears for children. Students at Scott Collegiate in Regina are making starblanket canvas paintings to be hung in clinics and doctor’s offices. Student volunteers from the various schools will also help load the container. The We See You Mission will help students learn about the daily challenges people in the developing world face and provides them with an opportunity to work together and make a difference.

About SaskTel
Saskatchewan Telecommunications Holding Corporation (SaskTel) is the leading full service communications provider in Saskatchewan, offering competitive voice, data, dial-up and high speed internet, entertainment and multimedia services, security, web hosting, text and messaging services, and cellular and wireless data services over its digital networks.  The Corporation also provides security monitoring services through SecurTek, directory services through DirectWest, in-room communications services to the healthcare sector through Hospitality Network, telecommunications consulting service through SaskTel International and an out-of-province sales and service channel in Alberta and British Columbia. SaskTel and its wholly-owned subsidiaries have a workforce of 5,200 full-time, part-time and temporary employees.  Visit SaskTel at www.sasktel.com.

About the Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region
The Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region is the largest health care delivery system in southern Saskatchewan, and one of the most integrated health delivery agencies in the country. Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region offers a full range of hospital, rehabilitation, community and public health, long term care and home care services to meet the needs of more than 245,000 residents. The Region employs directly and indirectly approximately 9,000 employees and about 55 physicians.

For more information, please contact:

Andy Tate , SaskTel
Phone: (306) 777-4548
E-mail: andy.tate@sasktel.sk.ca

Lori Foster, Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region
Phone: (306) 766-5289
Email: lori.foster@rqhealth.ca