Safaricom, in partnership with Google, recently held a financial and digital literacy training to empower bodaboda riders, vendors, and small business operators, in Rongo, Migori county. The training included budgeting, saving, investing, and understanding financial products and services.
The training was part of a series of community engagement drive by Safaricom in Migori to celebrate Kepher Okoth, the grand prize winner in the just-concluded Shine Kenya Shinda Mamilii Kama Bingwa promotion.
Okoth, a 24-year-old mechanic from Kanga in Migori county, was awarded Ksh. 5 million last week, along with an additional Ksh. 1 million to support a community project of his choice through the Safaricom Foundation. Other community engagements to be done in the county include a medical camp and fistula camp for Migori residents, hospital visits to new mothers in Migori, and the renovation of Kitere Primary school in Kanga.
The school renovation project is part of the 31 community projects to be funded through Shine Kenya Shinda Mamilii Kama Bingwa promotion. The promotion was designed by Safaricom to not only reward and celebrate its customers with daily and weekly cash prizes, but it was also meant to support key community projects chosen by winners. This was to ensure that the benefits of the promotion extend beyond individual winners to positively impact wider communities creating a ripple effect of positive change.
During the campaign, Safaricom rewarded 30 Kenyans with Ksh. 1 million each weekly and 2.52 million others with M-PESA cashbacks, data bundles and airtime. Currently, the 31 community projects chosen by weekly winners are being implemented.
“Empowering our community through knowledge is a vital step towards a sustainable business. Today, we’ve proudly facilitated free digital and financial literacy training to over 300 of our customers from diverse sectors. By equipping them with essential skills, we are not only enhancing their ability to make informed decisions but also driving long-term economic empowerment. This initiative reflects our commitment to transforming lives through meaningful, strategic investments that uplift communities and contribute to a brighter, more inclusive future for all Kenyans,” said Peter Ndegwa, CEO Safaricom PLC.