Absa Bank Kenya, in collaboration with the Christian Mission Aid (CMA), has kicked off a food donation drive aimed at supporting over 1,000 vulnerable families affected by COVID-19.
The donation, valued at KES2 million, is part of various initiatives the bank has implemented in the past in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. In total, the bank has so far committed over KES 50 million in the fight against the adverse effects of the pandemic.
Under this initiative, dubbed ‘Buckets of Blessing’, the bank funded the purchase of essential foodstuffs such as beans, cooking fat, maize meal, rice, wheat flour and salt which will be distributed to needy families within the next two weeks.
The donations will support households of up to five people in parts of Nairobi informal settlements and Kajiado County for a period of up to two weeks. These include about 400 families in Kariobangi and Korogocho slums and another 600 households in Magadi, Mosiro, Gataka areas.
Speaking during the official launch of the Buckets of Blessing initiative in Korogocho slums, Absa Bank Marketing & Corporate Relations Director, Ms. Caroline Ndung’u, said the donation is aligned to the banks’ strategic priorities to become a force for good in the society.
“For us, supporting communities serves a higher purpose and goes beyond philanthropy. We believe that our fortunes are directly intertwined with those of our communities and therefore as an organisation we have a responsibility to improve the lives of the people around us. Over the years, we have been instrumental in driving initiatives that contribute to the sustainable economic growth and resilience of our communities,” said Ms Ndungú.
The bank said that its investment in the Buckets of Blessing initiative was in lieu of the usual annual corporate gifting programmes conducted during the festive season.
On their part, Christin Mission Aid Chief Executive Officer Ms Debbie Kitchel lauded the move and called on more organizations to join hands to cushion families affected by Covid 19 pandemic.
“We strongly believe in sustainable development where people are empowered to successfully overcome their challenges. We can make a difference if Governments, international donors and corporate sector act swiftly to meet the needs of affected communities” added Ms. Kitchel.