- My project - every step counts
- From Bregenz to Vienna - a trek across Austria
- Mobilizing people with MyCommunity, Facebook & Co
- An 800 km hike for a good cause
This year, T-Mobile is sponsoring the LIFE BALL event for the first time. And the company is supplementing its commitment to this event with a range of activities. Among them, the "Every Step Counts" project is central and special. In a search throughout the country for an unusual project, T-Mobile approached people on Austria's streets and asked them about their visions for projects they hoped to be able to carry out some day. One of the persons they approached was Philippe, 20 years old. His idea: to do something truly unusual to raise broad awareness about the continuing reality of HIV/AIDS and about the measures needed to stop the spread of this deadly disease. His plan: to walk from Bregenz to Vienna to call attention to the HIV/AIDS threat.
"Right away, we loved Philippe's idea of walking from Bregenz to Vienna, to raise awareness about an issue that many people have forgotten", explains Mag. Maria Zesch, Managing Director, Marketing, T-Mobile Austria. "And we chose his project because of his determination to make young people aware of the dangers of the disease." In surveys for a current GfK study, "HIV/AIDS in Austria - a Generational Comparison", over 60% of all persons questioned were of the opinion that HIV/AIDS issues are receiving too little attention. "As a mobile network operator, we are keenly aware of the need to inform people about such issues and to encourage them to act accordingly", notes Zesch. "That's another reason why we chose Philippe's project." From Bregenz to Vienna - a trek across Austria In his "Every Step Counts" walk, Philippe will hike all the way across Austria - crossing Vorarlberg, Tyrol, Salzburg, Upper Austria and Lower Austria, and continuing all the way to Vienna. From May 30 to July 4, Philippe will present his HIV-awareness campaign, with the support of T-Mobile. With his effort, he hopes to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS, to promote compassion and solidarity with HIV/AIDS victims and to combat any ostracization. A broadly based, Austrian-wide advertising campaign will highlight Philippe's efforts throughout his walk and will seek to get "Mr. and Mrs. Austrian" behind his project. In addition, the campaign will collect donations, via such activities as the sale of red ribbons and operation of a donation hotline (Tel.: 0676-800 7676). Donations will benefit the AIDS LIFE association, helping to finance its direct support for HIV-positive people in need. Mobilizing people with MyCommunity During his trek, T-Mobile will provide Philippe with the Samsung Jet, a new MyCommunity smartphone. Via the phone's MyCommunity user interface, Philippe will easily be able to stay in constant contact (calls and chats) with his family, friends and backers - and use social networks, such as Facebook or MySpace, to keep everyone up-to-date. On both Facebook and a special microsite, Philippe will post daily reports on the people and things he experiences and encounters on his adventure.
Philippe will get underway on May 30 in Bregenz, heading for a string of cities that will include Imst, Innsbruck, Kufstein, Salzburg, Linz and St. Pölten. On July 4, just a few days prior to the LIFE BALL , he is expected to reach Vienna, where he will present AIDS LIFE with the donations he has collected. Further information about the project, as well as the latest update on his location, are available at www.philippes-projekt.at