Kenya Tea Development Agency (Holdings) Limited (KTDA) has made a KShs 20M donation towards the Kenya COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund as part of its efforts to support initiatives aimed at helping mitigate the socio-economic impact of the pandemic in the country.
The donation is drawn from all 69 factories across the country, which are managed by KTDA, as well as from a section of KTDA Holdings subsidiaries which operate in the tea value chain. The subsidiaries include KTDA Management Services, KETEPA, Chai Trading Company Limited, Majani Insurance Brokers and Green Land Fedha Limited.
Speaking while presenting the donation to the Kenya COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre, KTDA Chief Executive Officer, Lerionka Tiampati, lauded the Government for its efforts to cushion Kenyans from the effects of the pandemic.
“We commend the Government for the steps it has taken to shield Kenyans from the effects of this pandemic; and as a responsible corporate entity, KTDA Holdings is today pleased to be joining the Government in pooling together resources that will go towards attaining this objective. look forward to continuing working together with the Government in bettering the welfare of Kenyans,” he said.
“We are also affected by the pandemic as our tea has not been moving as much as it should because of some of the measures that have been put in place to curb the spread of the disease across the country. However, we are still able to pluck, process and sell tea so, despite the tough business environment, we have felt the need to dig deeper and contribute to the fund,” he added.
Speaking at the occasion, Kenya COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund Chairperson, Jane Karuku thanked KTDA for its contribution towards the fund which she said that had, to date, received KShs 3.2 billion in cash and kind.
Commenting on the measures taken to ensure that Government’s COVID-19 health measures are being exercised at the smallholder tea farmer level, Tiampati said that buying centres have installed hand-washing facilities, with social distancing measure being strictly enforced. This is in addition to the requirement that farmers and staff wear masks at all times.