USD147 000 for Kenya Red Cross
BUSINESS
By BiztechAfrica – Sept. 16, 2011, 12:08 p.m.
The Alcatel-Lucent Foundation has donated around USD146 836 to the Kenya Red Cross Society for relief efforts in the famine-stricken Horn of Africa.
This donation boosts The Kenyans for Kenya Initiative, a private sector programme in partnership with the Kenya Red Cross. It is a result of a Global Matching Gift Program launched by the Alcatel-Lucent Foundation for Alcatel-Lucent employees.
So far, the Kenyans for Kenya Initiative, an initiative of the private sector in partnership with Kenya Red Cross has mobilised close to KES 700,000,000 with a significant portion coming from ordinary Kenyans sending money through money transfer systems like MPESA a service run by Safaricom.
Alcatel-Lucent notes that more than 3 million people in Kenya are in need of food aid. The situation is likely to continue if the rains fail again in the next season.
According to the United Nations, more than 12.4 million people including 2 million children are at risk of starvation in Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Somalia.
Alcatel-Lucent’s donation will support Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) in its emergency interventions and activities designed to meet the immediate needs of the affected, including provision of relief food, clean water and urgent healthcare.
Kenya Red Cross Society Secretary General Abbas Gullet said: “Kenya and indeed the Horn of Africa is facing the worst drought in over 60 years, which has caused a grave humanitarian crisis, with lactating and expectant mothers, school going children and the elderly being the most affected.”
