Safaricom To Donate Foodstuff To Vulnerable Families

Safaricom (NSE: SCOM) staff members have donated foodstuff worth over KES 4 million shillings to more than 2,500 needy households across the country.

The donation is part of a staff initiative that saw Safaricom employees come together to contribute over KES 2 million shillings to help vulnerable families affected by COVID-19. The amount raised was then matched by Safaricom Foundation who added KES 2 million to the kitty.

As part of the donation, more than 1,300 families in Korogocho and another 1,200 households in Kitengela, Thika, Naivasha, Mombasa, and Bungoma will receive one month’s supply of foodstuff.

Over the last few months, Safaricom and its two Foundations, have been engaged in a wide range of community initiatives to respond to the needs of Kenyans in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Through M-PESA and Safaricom Foundations, the telco has donated Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) to healthcare workers, helped communities to access clean water, and provided cash transfers for food.

“Our team of 6,000 staff felt it’s important that they make a personal contribution to help us drive our purpose of Transforming Lives. They came together to donate and we will be distributing this to communities who have been affected by the pandemic”, said Peter Ndegwa, Safaricom CEO.

In the last few months, Safaricom and M-PESA Foundations have donated PPEs to healthcare workers in 13 counties. In addition, residents of Kibera, Mathare, Kawangware, and Korogocho have also benefited from Safaricom Foundation water funded projects while several Counties have also received handwashing soap.

In April Safaricom donated KES200 Million through the Safaricom and M-PESA Foundations towards providing Cash transfers for food to support vulnerable communities as well as thermal cameras worth KES 10 million to the Ministry of Health installed in various border entry points.

Safaricom has so far committed over KES 250 million in various philanthropic initiatives in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.