HiPipo Money

Beginning April 5, 2013, KLM will operate daily flights direct from Entebbe International Airport in Uganda to Amsterdam, said a company statement which added that “KLM will be the first carrier to offer direct daily flights to the premier transfer hub in Western Europe: Amsterdam Schiphol”.

Flight from Entebbe operated with Airbus 330-200 equipment will depart at 23:30 and arrive in Amsterdam 06:45 of the next day whereas the return flights will depart Amsterdam at 11:00 and arrive at Entebbe at 22:15 of the same day, with an intermediate stop in Kigali. This is a similar route like Brussels Airlines with three times weekly flight between Entebbe to Brussels and Brussels to Entebbe via Kigali.

Other Flights from Entebbe to Europe are those to London Heathrow by British Airways and from Entebbe to Istanbul by Turkish Airlines

Google is providing $3.1M to the Network Startup Resource Center (NSRC) to grow their work to bring local network engineering expertise to universities and national research & education networks (NRENs) across Sub-Saharan Africa. Through labs and a train-the-trainers program, NSRC will provide hands-on training on campus network planning, deployment, and management for over 600 university and NREN staff. Their work will bring the Internet to students and staff at over 50 institutions and increase network engineering know-how in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Google is also supporting Internet Society (ISOC), providing $1.3M to improve and create Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) in emerging markets stating that IXPs play a big role in core Internet infrastructure, allowing Internet Service Providers to peer locally (and cheaply), which can lower end user costs, promote competition, and improve user experience. ISOC will create a toolkit for those who want to create and improve IXPs and build an industry portal to share IXP information and data.

In a blog post Google says that by supporting the work of NSRC and ISOC, they can make sure that internet access opportunities are available to more people in more parts of the world. 
 

DHL Express, the world’s leading international express services provider, has expanded its network of DHL Service Points in Sub-Saharan Africa from the initial 300 to over 1000, in just a few short months. The move is an aggressive expansion into the market which is aimed to further cement the company’s leading position in Africa but also to offer local consumers and small businesses an efficient, convenient way of shipping overseas.

The logistics and express company, which is present in 52 Sub-Saharan Africa markets, has been looking to improve access for cash and account customers, creating enhanced accessibility for customers and increasing connectivity between African markets and the over 220 countries and territories that DHL currently serves worldwide.

“In our recent 2012 Global Connectedness Index, which measures the state of globalization around the world, Sub-Saharan Africa remained the globe’s least connected continent,” comments Charles Brewer, Managing Director for DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa. “However, it did average the largest increase from 2010 to 2011 and boasted the top five ‘gainers’ –  Mozambique, Togo, Ghana, Guinea and Zambia. This tells us that there is still major opportunity to improve connectivity across the continent, and access to logistics services and international markets are both key to this improvement.”

The logistics operator had also identified the need for increased convenience for small to medium enterprises (SMEs), as a recent study by global information and analytics company, IHS, showed that accessibility to international markets was a driver of small business success. “The SME is sector is growing at an amazing pace and this investment will help to connect African SME’s to the rest of the world,” notes Brewer. 

“Africa is a complex market to operate in but we’ve proven that, with a bit of creativity, you can expand your footprint and provide a way to service the continent’s growth,” concludes Brewer. “Ensuring the people within Africa can access global markets, and transfer skills, goods and information, means we are able to support and spur on the continued African resurgence. Expanding our retail presence is just the first step.”

————

MTN Uganda launched the 2013 edition of the Chairman’s Cup, making it the 12^th year that the telecom giant has sponsored the tournament.

According to MTN, the sponsorship that is in excess of Shs 62 million will see participants competing in 9 sporting disciplines including squash, tennis, darts, chess, table tennis, mweso, scrabble, pool and swimming as they vie for the coveted Chairman’s Cup.

“MTN recognises the role that sports plays in our customers’ lives. It is therefore in our interest to support such platforms that give participants an opportunity to play competitively and to explore their potential.” said Ernst Fonternel, Chief Marketing Officer at MTN Uganda.

The tournament that will be played at Kampala Club will be held between Monday, 25^th February and Saturday, 2^nd March and will see MTN staff members compete with the club members in the games.

Kampala Club is the oldest leading discipline sports club in Uganda. Its membership is comprised of members of the business community, academicians, politicians as well as civil society.

From the event related press release MTN states that it recognises and supports all sporting activities and their development in Uganda and has sponsored the Chairman’s Cup since 2002 and will continue to support the various sporting activities at the club.
 

As part of its corporate social responsibility, British Airways delivered its annual donations including clothes, toys and book to Sanyu Babies Home.  The activity is part of BA’s Corporate Social Intiative that has been supported over the years by both BA Uganda and BA United Kingdom.  

British Airways stated that the relationship between British Airways and Sanyu Babies Home has grown over the years to create a strong bond assuring the orphaned and abandoned children of an annual donation of clothes, books, shoes, feeding bottles, medicines, soap, among others.

“Children are brought in this home hanging on for dear life but miraculously survive, it is for this reason we have held Sanyu Babies home dear to British Airways’ heart to give them a sense of belonging, access to basic needs , an experience of a normal childhood and build and invest in the future of Uganda” said UK British Airways’ Annette Matthews who is volunteering at the Home for a week as part of her holiday in Uganda.