KBC Channel 1

Tag: Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)

  • Equity Group to invest 2pc of earnings in sustainable projects

    Equity Group to invest 2pc of earnings in sustainable projects

    Equity Group targets to invest at least 2pc of its revenue in sustainable projects in seven markets it currently operates in.

    According to the lender, loans to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) under the Young Africa Works Program totaled  Ksh 223.1 billion disbursed to 246,701 businesses which in turn helped encourage entrepreneurship and create 1.2 million jobs.

    Additionally, the lender disbursed loans totaling Ksh 73.3 billion to support 3.98 million farmers and MSMEs in food and agriculture.

    Speaking during the launch of Equity Group 2022 Sustainability Report, Chief Executive Officer Dr James Mwangi said the bank is investing heavily in sustainable projects and called for more collaborations in enhancing food security, healthcare services, and education.

    The report highlights pay parity across the organization, where it indicates men are still getting paid more than women doing the same job in Kenya and Tanzania at 52pc as compared to DRC, South Sudan, Rwanda And Uganda an issue that is closely been monitored to ensure pay parity continues to improve across the group.

    The report indicates that Equity Group planted 21.8 million trees by the end of 2022 and trained farmers on climate-smart agriculture.

    Speakers urged financial institutions to consider collaboration with counties in the financing locally-led climate action program.

  • Expectant mothers, newborns to access emergency transport services

    Expectant mothers, newborns to access emergency transport services

    Expectant mothers and their newborns will now access emergency transport services after the Ministry of Health on Wednesday rolled out the M-Mama initiative.

    The initiative has been rolled out in partnership with the Government of Kenya, the US Government, through the US Agency for International Development (USAID), Vodafone Foundation, Safaricom in Kenya, and M-PESA Foundation.

    M-mama is an emergency referral system that swiftly transports pregnant women and newborns facing complications to quality healthcare facilities.

    According to a statement, a clinically trained dispatcher manages the referrals and confirms facility availability to ensure women/newborns in emergency situations can be promptly managed.

    The program also recruits and trains local car owners to provide additional emergency transport options when ambulances are unavailable, ensuring greater availability of transport for m-mama patients.

    “The service will be easily accessible through a free phone landline and mobile number,” the statement reads in part.

    The M-mama referral initiative for pregnant women and newborns has been shown to contribute to a 38 percent decrease in the number of maternal deaths in pilot locations in Africa.

    The Government of Kenya is pioneering the m-mama approach to enhance maternal and newborn health.

    Kenya has made significant progress towards improving maternal and child health, with most pregnant women (90 percent) delivering in health facilities.

    However, it’s estimated that over 6,000 women and 35,000 newborns still die annually from preventable complications.

    Therefore, efforts need to be accelerated to reduce the current maternal mortality rate of 355 per 100,000 live births to reach the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030.