Anti-Gov’t protests: Safaricom donates Ksh.15M to KNH, victims to receive Ksh.5M for rent and food

Telco giant Safaricom has donated Ksh.15 million to the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) to support individuals injured during the recent anti-government protests receiving treatment at the facility.

Of this amount, Ksh.10 million will be allocated to the hospital's Disaster Response Centre, with the remaining Ksh.5 million designated to aid the injured and affected persons.

"The Ksh.5 million will be for provision of assistive devices to the injured, smart-phones and airtime for those who lost their phones, supporting affected individuals with three months’ worth of food as well as one year worth of rent for those in extreme condition," Safaricom said in a statement to newsrooms.

“Safaricom has also allocated Ksh.12.5 million for similar efforts across the country."

Speaking at KNH when the donation was made, Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa underscored the telco's commitment to supporting Kenyans injured during the demonstrations.

“Our foundations are there to stand with people, especially in times of need. We are happy to provide hospitals with structured support in times of emergencies, both for infrastructure improvement and patient recovery," he said.

To provide further immediate support, Safaricom, through its M-Pesa Foundation, is organizing medical camps in affected areas, starting with Githurai on July 6, 2024, followed by Rongai at a later date.

Safaricom, in the medium term, also plans to engage its Gen Z employees, along with other similarly-minded corporations and foundations, through the #GenZforGenZ initiative, which will involve volunteer teams taking the lead in community outreach efforts, organizing clean-up activities, and facilitating medical camps.

"The long-term plan will entail a comprehensive execution of community programs through M-Pesa and Safaricom Foundations, with an increased focus on Gen Z. This includes providing TVET scholarships, economic empowerment through the Ndoto Zetu program, agri-business value chain opportunities through the Wezesha Agri Program, and offering access to business training and micro loans in 13 counties, starting with Nakuru, Nairobi, Kajiado, and Migori," the telco added.

"The plan will also include supporting mental health through strategic partnerships and provision of complimentary counselling services."