I&M Foundation Spreads Christmas Cheer to Thousands Nationwide
In an effort to bring smiles to thousands of Kenyan families during the festive season, the I&M Foundation has embarked on a countrywide outreach program dubbed “A Time to Give.”
The Foundation is investing KES 10 million targeting the communities that lie around the newly opened 22 branches of the I&M Bank.
This initiative is creating an instantaneous and sustainable impact on the communities by supporting projects that will be identified as crucial at the various branches.
Empowering the branch teams to take the lead in community projects will, therefore, help the Foundation build better community relations while instilling the culture of social responsibility in the entire network of the I&M Bank.
Speaking about the initiative, Dipna Shah, Sustainability Lead of I&M Bank, said: “The Foundation has and will continue to be committed to uplifting communities throughout and particularly during the festive season.”
“Over the past five years, the Foundation has committed resources to various community development projects. During this festive season, we are spreading joy to our customers and to all Kenyans. The ‘A Time to Give’ program enables us to respond to community needs directly at the branch level with respect to provision of clean water and solar energy, as well as welfare assistance for prisoners and students, among other aspects of community development,” Shah said.
One of the major interventions initiated by the Foundation is the support offered to Busia Prison to enhance the hygine and wellbeing of the convicts, where 720 mattresses, blankets, and shoes were donated to the facility.
In Watamu, the Foundation assisted Gede Special School with 25 wheelchairs and special furniture to improve learning among the disabled students.
The intervention also focuses on provision of clean water and renewable energy. Initiatives undertaken include installing 10,000-liter water tanks in Gikomba and Meru, implementation of a water harvesting program at Embu, and a backup power system using solar in Mwea at Joy Children’s Home.
Apart from the provision of infrastructural support and social well-being support, financial literacy has been included in the outreach activities by the Foundation. The Tatu City Branch of the Foundation did an intervention financial education workshop for women in business in partnership with Ren Women Tatu City, which included topics on savings, budgeting, and investing. The workshop ended with an interaction forum that enabled the women to share business ideas and receive advice from the bank’s staff.
Additionally, other activities for the initiative include Christmas lunch and dry food donations to children’s homes, old age care centers, and special schools located in regions such as Eastleigh, Tatu City, and Kawangware.
The I&M Foundation highlighted that the outreach program during the festive season would continue into the new year as the organization continues to support vulnerable populations in the communities where the bank operates.
The “A Time to Give” program runs in an effort to promote the well-being of the communities while increasing engagement with the communities by I&M Bank employees.