In one of the most important philanthropic gestures towards fighting COVID-19, Safaricom Foundation and M-PESA Foundation continue to donate Personal Protective Equipment to different counties in the country. I say important because being the country’s frontline workers against the pandemic, our healthcare personnel have to be kept safe at all costs.
The latest beneficiary of these donations is Machakos county where M-PESA Foundation has handed over Ksh 1.5 Million worth of PPEs to health workers. These donations which comprise of 2000 pieces of N95 masks, 3000 gowns and 500 eye protectors will go to different health facilities across the county.
With the pandemic showing no signs of slowing down yet and now even spreading to the counties, this preparedness is crucial. It cannot be emphasized enough how critical health workers are to the country’s attempts to beat the pandemic.
Last week, the M-PESA Foundation partnered with the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union for provision of personal protective equipment to over 3,000 health workers in Kwale, Machakos, Nairobi, Kilifi, Migori, Kiambu and Busia. That was at a cost of Ksh 20 Million.
“We are grateful for this support from the M-PESA Foundation. We believe that this will boost our county’s preparedness to protect our health workers as they work round the clock to save the lives of the COVID-19 patients,” said Dr. Alfred Mutua, Governor, Machakos County.
Over the last two months, Safaricom Foundation has donated PPEs in Meru, Kajiado, Baringo, Uasin Gishu and Mombasa counties. In recognition of basic hygiene as a strong defence towards spread of the virus, the foundation also funded water projects in Kibera, Mathare, Kawangware and Korogocho, and handwashing soap in several other counties.
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.
