‘KENYANS FOR KENYA’ RECEIVES KENYA AIRWAYS SUPPORT
‘The Pride of Africa’ aka Kenya Airways has joined hands with the business community and civil society to assist in providing food and other daily necessities to communities in Northern Kenya hard hit by drought and failed harvests. CEO Dr. Titus Naikuni, on behalf of the national airline, handed a 10 million Kenya Shillings cheque to the Kenya Red Cross Society while also committing free cargo uplifts of donations made in Europe or other countries covered by the Kenya Airways network to fly emergency supplies to Nairobi to be handed over to the Red Cross and other humanitarian agencies.
However, the company then went several steps further by announcing that for every shilling donated by the Kenya Airways staff, the airline will add TWO shillings to double match individual contributions. Staff can also convert pending leave or off days into cash for the purpose of donating the proceeds to the ‘Kenyans for Kenya’ fundraising effort. Holders of frequent flyer cards equally can donate ‘miles’ which will be monetized and donated and KQ’s ongoing programme ‘Change for Change’ – reported about here some weeks ago – will also now include famine relief contributions.
Famine has struck parts of the Horn of Africa and Eastern Africa with a vengeance, and the current situation has been described as the worst for the last 40 years. Civil society and the corporate sector responded immediately to the call for help and financial assistance, and inspite of inflation and economic wobbles managed to raise in excess of 100 million Kenya Shillings already, all to go to mitigate drought impact and help affected communities in Northern Kenya to survive until the rains return.
Well done KQ, something to be truly proud of.
