This archive report was first published on 18 May 2020.
On May 18, 2020, Standard Chartered Kenya made a significant donation of Sh122 million ($1.15 million) to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in Kenya.
The bank's CEO, Kariuki Ngari, stated that their priority was the wellbeing and protection of their staff, followed by supporting their clients and now their communities.
Of the donated amount, Sh32 million will be contributed to the Red Cross for the provision of medical support, including personal protection equipment for staff and volunteers, as well as distribution of food and care packages for those impacted by COVID-19.
The remaining Sh90 million will be redirected to the United Nations agency, Unicef, to support the protection and education of vulnerable children through remote education via TV, radio, online, and mobile platforms.
This donation is part of the bank's efforts to support the state's Covid-19 Emergency Response Fund and join other top lenders in the fight against the pandemic.
Unicef has been running programmes to help students continue learning online, through TV and radio scripts, as the government announced the temporary closure of schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Gary Stahl, Director, Unicef Private Fundraising and Partnerships Division, 'In any crisis, the young and the most vulnerable suffer disproportionately. This pandemic is no different. Thanks to this donation from Standard Chartered, Unicef will be able to support remote education via TV, radio, online, and mobile platforms and child protection measures for vulnerable children across the world.'
