This archive report was first published on 16 June 2020.
As the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in Kenya, Safaricom's Bonga For Good initiative provided a lifeline for many, allowing customers to redeem over 1 billion points, equivalent to over KES 330 million, in just two months.
Launched in response to the pandemic, Bonga For Good enabled over 600,000 customers to donate points equivalent to over KES 330 million at over 40,000 Lipa na M-PESA merchants across the country.
With the initiative coming to an end on 4th June 2020, customers were able to redeem their points for essential goods and services, with food and household items, solar-lighting solutions, and entertainment being the most popular choices.
Notably, over KES 150 million was redeemed from points transferred from one person to another, demonstrating the spirit of goodwill among Kenyans during this challenging time.
According to Peter Ndegwa, CEO of Safaricom, 'I commend Kenyans for standing with each other during this time of need. Even as Bonga for Good comes to an end, we are cognizant that a lot of Kenyans still need to access essential goods and services, that is why redemption of points at Lipa Na M-PESA merchants will remain a permanent feature of our loyalty scheme.'
Following the conclusion of the initiative, customers can continue redeeming their Bonga points for goods and services at over 140,000 Lipa Na M-PESA merchants countrywide at KES 20 cents per point.
Additionally, customers can use their points to access a range of devices and accessories at any Safaricom shop or dealer outlet, as well as airtime and data bundles available on the 126# USSD.
The Bonga loyalty scheme, introduced in 2007, has been a staple of Safaricom's customer rewards program, with customers accumulating a point for every KES 10 spent on services on the Safaricom network.
