The Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) has reiterated its commitment to continue extending a helping hand to those in need and to the development of the communities in which they operate.
KPA staff and management, accompanied by their partners from the Vet Lab sports club, donated food items and other household essentials worth Sh300,000 to the Nairobi Children’s Rescue Centre on Thursday.
KPA Corporate Investments Programme Chairman Bernard Osero said that every year KPA holds golf tournaments across the country with the aim of engaging their key stakeholders to consult with a view to growing their business.
“We usually have four circuits in various parts of the country: the Western, Rift Valley, Central, and Nairobi circuits, which we use to promote sports and talent,” explained Osero.
He highlighted that they realised that while supporting golf, they were focusing on a different segment of society, which is why they decided to also focus on the less fortunate so as to incorporate everyone.
“We decided to focus on the less fortunate children, and we have made various donations to the Machakos Girls Recue Center, the Rwanda Children’s Home, Nakuru Hill Special School, and Kisii Special School for the Deaf, among others,” said Osero.
He explained that just two months ago they were at the Jawabu Rehabilitation Centre in Eldoret, where they not only gifted the children, who are abled differently, with 50 wheelchairs but also spent time with them to play and eat together.
“We believe that these initiatives will contribute to the betterment of society and improve the lives of the beneficiaries,” said Osero.
He added that their programme’s core focus areas include health, education, sports, environment, humanitarian aid, water and sanitation, women and youth empowerment, arts and culture, and social infrastructure, among others.
Osero said that KPA spends an average of two per cent of their profits to help the needy both in the country and in the transit market.
“Through this outreach programme, we have successfully made significant contributions to the development of over 60 infrastructures both nationally and across borders through some of our liaison offices,” he said.
He explained that these projects include dispensaries, school laboratories, libraries, dormitories, classrooms, a centre for rescued girls, and school administrative buildings.
Vet Lab Sports Club Vice Lady Captain Priscilla Karobia said that their members who were born in May (May Babies) have adopted the Nairobi Children’s Rescue Centre that they have been supporting over time.
“We are even happier now that we have a bigger partner in KPA,” said Karobia.
Nairobi Children’s Rescue Centre Deputy Manager Zainab Kibenei said that currently they have 49 children, with the youngest being 15 days old and the oldest being a 12-year-old boy.
“Our capacity is 70 children, but we normally receive them and also look for alternative placement for them. For instance, we can get a lost child, and within the same week the parent is found, we go back to court, and the child is released to the family, so our numbers keep fluctuating,” said Kibenei.
By Joseph Ng’ang’a
