Standard Chartered Bank has partnered with Kenya Community Development Foundation (KCDF) to support communities facing hardships due to the ravaging effects of the novel Coronavirus pandemic.
The partnership will cost Kshs. 10 million. It will primarily target women and youth in Nairobi, Mombasa and Kilifi Counties with community hygiene and health package initiatives including: community awareness, community hand-washing stations in public areas, marketplaces, places of worship and health facilities.
As part of the partnership, affected households will also be offered food relief packages and cash transfers as well as resilience interventions to help individuals improve on their livelihoods.
Making the announcement, Standard Chartered Bank Kenya’s chief executive officer Mr. Kariuki Ngari said the partnership was part of the bank’s post Covid-19 recovery initiative. It is aimed at helping communities improve their resilience around the adverse effects they have experienced since March 2020.
“We are excited to help the vulnerable communities and shall continue coming together with like-minded partners such as KCDF to help reach the most affected individuals in the society,” Mr. Kariuki said, adding that Covid-19 is still in our midst and that it was incumbent on everyone to help the government ensure that communities do not forget the key health guidelines by the Ministry of Health.
Ms Janet Mawiyoo, KCDF executive director, on her part said : “We have had a long-term partnership with Standard Chartered Bank supporting our girl child programme, and we are grateful for their continued support by coming on board to support KCDF’s post Covid- 19 recovery intervention. This partnership will focus on supporting communities, especially women and youth in Nairobi, Mombasa and Kilifi counties learn to cope in this new environment that has significantly changed, to manage their lives and get income from livelihoods they will either revive or set up during this time.”
Standard Chartered Bank has since March 2020, put in place comprehensive support programmes for its clients and the public, including US$1 billion of financing for companies that provide goods and services to help the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, Kshs. 650 million in financing at preferential rates to companies to help address Covid-19 pandemic in Kenya, Kshs. 15 million to KipKeino Foundation to offer relief to athletes as well as Kshs. 120 million to Red cross and UNICEF as part of the bank’s relief efforts.
