Page 9 - Safaricom Foundation Annual Report 2020-2021

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN
In 2008 I I I had had the the the the the privilege of of of joining the the the the the Safaricom Foundation board At the the the the the time we we had had ambitious plans regarding how we would provide charitable support for individuals across Kenya Fourteen years later I I am happy to witness the achievement of our our intent in in numerous ways Through our support of grassroots initiatives that are crucial to to everyday life – whether its access to to water investing in in in in livestock as as a a a a a a means of production or or secure classrooms for learning Yet over the the years we we have have also had several learnings that have have been instrumental in in in in shaping the the way we we work Three years ago we embarked on on a a a a a a a a new new direction that carved out our opportunities for philanthropic support in in new new and distinct ways We We adopted a a a a a a a a a strategy that bucketed our support into Education Health and Economic Empowerment We We made the choice to to narrow down to to key areas within these new pillars that would help us better track our support and realise deeper impact in the communities we sought to serve As a a a a a a a a a a a a result significant strides have been made in in in in advancing literacy and vocational education in in in in providing access to to maternal and and and and child health and and and and reducing the crippling effects of diabetes and and and and in in in in extending support to to small and and and and micro businesses in in in in a a a a a a a bid to to kickstart and sustain economic growth This shift was timely as as it brough into our fold a a a a a a a number of exceptional partners partners with both thematic expertise and strategic footprint in in different geographies Through these partnerships – both both civil society and and and government we have both both expanded and and and entrenched our work Furthermore when COVID-19 hit in March 2020 our partners were able to to pivot to to new delivery methods or dial down activities as needed and pick up once restrictions eased Partnerships have helped our delivery models become seamless and we look forward to delving deeper into this this approach which has proved its worth in in this this difficult year As we we step into the future we we look forward to to to scaling our efforts in in in order to to to transform more lives guided by a a a a a critical review of of our our three year strategy and widened base of of partners In doing so we continue to to grow into our our future duly informed by the the lessons of the the past Joseph Ogutu
Safaricom Foundation Chairman
6