Page 45 - Safaricom Foundation Annual Report 2020-2021

ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT
Since 2015 the the the Safaricom Foundation has worked in in in in in in fin in partnership with Hand Hand in in Hand Hand East Africa an an an initiative that is dedicated to empowering Kenyans by providing them with financial support and mentorship to to start or or grow micro businesses Through their dedicated network of trainers and and mentorship they have transformed both hope and and opportunity for hundreds of individuals across the country With the onset of pandemic restrictions in in 2020 many businesses were forced to to close down or pivot to to stay alive Additionally thousands of Kenyans who worked in in industries such as hospitality tourism education and others found themselves unable to “work from home” or or manage their enterprises remotely This sudden shift in in in what had been business-as-usual in in in the Kenyan economy rendered thousands of hardworking individuals financially destitute and and adrift in the new sea of economic opportunities 42