Safaricom Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Peter Ndegwa has urged Kenyans with community-centered project ideas to apply for consideration in the Ndoto Zetu Phase VII initiative in order to access funding to bring their development ideas into reality.
Safaricom officially launched Phase VII of the Ndoto Zetu Project at the Eldoret Special School, reaffirming its continued commitment to empowering local communities.
Speaking during the event, Mr Ndegwa expressed his delight at visiting Eldoret Special School , which he described as a remarkable institution for children with special needs, commending the commitment of its teachers and staff.
He assured the school of Safaricom Foundation’s ongoing support in terms of establishing inclusive infrastructure like classrooms for special learning, labs for hands-on skills like beading, weaving and others so that the special needs learners may be able to monetise their talents and earn income.
The Ndoto Zetu Project, one of the Foundation’s flagship programmes, was launched in 2019 as a community-based initiative that invites communities to apply for funding to implement local projects in education, economic empowerment and health.
Ndegwa indicated that the initiative began as an internal programme for Safaricom employees and has since grown into a national platform that has empowered communities in every corner of the country.
“Over the past six seasons, the Safaricom Foundation has invested Sh500 million, funding 1,800 projects and impacting over 3 million people in all 47 counties. For Season 7, the Foundation has committed an additional Sh100 million, with applications now open via the Ndoto Zetu online portal and in Safaricom shops countrywide,” added Ndegwa.
The programme typically receives 4,000 to 6,000 applications annually, with between 300 and 400 projects selected for funding each season.
Ndegwa encouraged Kenyans from all walks of life to take advantage of the opportunity to bring positive change to their communities through the Ndoto Zetu platform.
Additionally, he also reaffirmed Safaricom’s commitment to maintaining a safe and secure network, assuring customers of strong safeguards around voice, data, SMS and M-PESA services.
“This is about communities owning their development story,” said Ndegwa. “We believe in the power of grassroots solutions, and through Ndoto Zetu, we are proud to walk that journey with the people of Kenya.”
By Ekuwam Sylvester and Fredrick Maritim
