Safaricom Foundation launches new strategy to bolster health, education and economic empowerment

Safaricom Foundation on Thursday launched its three year strategic roadmap, which commits to focus on health, education and economic empowerment.
Under education, Safaricom Foundation will address literacy and numeracy as well Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
The Kenyan economy is suffering from a skills mismatch, and subsequent skills gaps in important growth industries.

Safaricom Foundation on Thursday launched its three year strategic roadmap, which commits to focus on health, education and economic empowerment.

In the new strategy, the Foundation will also continue to provide immediate financial support to relief agencies and local organisations that are first responders to emergencies and disasters.

“Our mission is to build communities and demonstrably transform lives through impactful investments and partnerships that are aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals. We made significant achievements in our last strategy and we now have an even stronger desire to deliver greater impact over the next three years,” said Joseph Ogutu, Chairman – Safaricom Foundation.

Over the last 15 years Safaricom foundation has been in existence, it has reached more than four million Kenyans across the country through programmess aimed at alleviating poverty, extending quality education to nomadic communities, increasing access to maternal health care and improving access to clean water.

The extensive reach has been attained through partnerships with more than 1,000 organisations.

Education

Under education, Safaricom Foundation will address literacy and numeracy as well Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).

A recent research by City and Guilds shows that, 95% of young Kenyans in secondary school plan on going to university, and yet only 30% of future jobs require a degree thus leading to millions of young and able Kenyans lacking jobs and turning to social vices.

The Kenyan economy is suffering from a skills mismatch, and subsequent skills gaps in important growth industries.

The country for instance is currently battling with a sharp shortage of skilled plumbers and artisans in the face of a booming real estate industry.

The limited number of artisans in the relevant fields has led to poor workmanship on major projects, and in some cases, sections of a houses have been demolished and redone due to low standards.

The same challenge afflicts several other creative and hands on sectors of the economy like the multi-billion fashion industry and agribusiness where for years young Kenyans have shunned it for the more ‘corporate careers’ like law and economics, only for the same graduants to later languish in unemployment due to high competition in white collar jobs.

A recent analysis by Higher Education and Loans Board (HELB) found that employability is 96% among those who have acquired technical and vocational education, compared to just 40% among those with a university degree.

Safaricom hopes to address this challenge by partnering and with the over 147,342 TVET slots approved in the 591 institutions accredited to provide technical and vocational education nationwide.

The foundation will help millions of young Kenyans acquire skills in fashion and design, construction (including masonry, plumbing, electrical engineering, welding), automotive engineering, ICT, carpentry, animal husbandry, agribusiness and the skills required for the oil and gas industry.