Airtel Money Kenya Limited has donated Sh50 million to the Kenya Red Cross Society to support the government-led response to drought.
The donation will be channelled towards purchasing food items and rehabilitating boreholes for a more sustainable impact in the affected areas.
Airtel Kenya CEO Ashish Malhotra said his organisation joins the Kenya Red Cross and other well-wishers in solidarity with the affected Kenyans to provide much-needed relief.
Malhotra said the urgency in providing food relief in the arid and semi-arid areas continues to rise to alarming proportions, with families and their livestock in the 23 most affected counties at greater risk.
“Together, we need to join hands to provide the much-needed food, reduce suffering, and rehabilitate water facilities to secure livelihoods,” Malhotra said.
The CEO spoke during the handover at the Kenya Red Cross headquarters on Thursday.
He said Airtel strives to transform and enrich lives as part of its corporate social responsibility and through the donation, Kenyans from the affected areas will be relieved.
“The current drought situation is a huge challenge that needs concerted efforts. We all need to come together to support the affected communities. I thank Kenya Red Cross for their various initiatives to help Kenyans,” Airtel Money director Anne Kinuthia Otieno said.
Kenya Red Cross Society secretary general Asha Mohammed said that the number of those who need assistance is increasing and there is a need for every member to join in saving those affected.
“I want to thank the Airtel team for this donation and especially for providing water, which is critical for domestic and livestock use as one of the areas of support,” Mohammed said.
“Our focus is to ensure that the most vulnerable are reached even as we continue to appeal for more to reach every needy Kenyan.”