Safaricom 2023 Sustainable Business Report

71 OUR BUSINESS KPI SUMMARY OUR MATERIAL TOPICS PATHWAY TO A PURPOSE-LED TECHNOLOGY COMPANY OUR STAKEHOLDERS of land and educating them on the agricultural value chain. This extends from the pros and cons of different crops to the application of pesticides and harvesting. In total, 530 farmers have been engaged and empowered by Wezesha both onsite and offsite. M-PESA FOUNDATION EDUCATION The M-PESA Foundation Academy is a state of the art, co- educational and residential high school. The Academy reached 414 learners from economically challenged backgrounds across all 47 counties and supported 574 in various tertiary institutions. Wezesha Elimu is an initiative cross-cutting education and health. The overall goal is to contribute to improved access to education for children with disabilities to achieve their full potential and lead a dignified life. 142 surgeries were completed for children with various orthopaedic conditions, 198 assistive devices provided to children with conditions and nine mobile clinics conducted reaching 1 250 children with varying orthopaedic conditions. HEALTH Uzazi Salama (‘safe parenting’ in Swahili) is a two-year project (2021-2023) implemented by four partners (Amref- Kenya, Pathfinder International, Action-Aid and PharmAccess Foundation). The initiative aims to strengthen the county’s health systems to support the delivery of quality reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent healthcare. The project, which has been implemented in Ndhiwa, a sub-county, in Homabay County supports three health facilities serving five community health units. While there are specific focus sites, the interventions span over the sub-county at large. The overall objective of the project is to increase access to, and utilisation of, quality high impact interventions for maternal and neonatal health, child health, adolescent health, family planning, nutrition, and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) at all levels of services delivery in Homabay County. In FY23, there were 7 171 deliveries in facilities and 4 446 women completed four ante-natal visits. The goal of the Foundation’s Daktari Smart telemedicine programme is to improve access to high quality healthcare to children in six counties by leveraging technology and to provide treatment to 32 400 children between 2021 and 2024. To date, 1,568 children have been reached. The technical working group has proactively engaged the County Health Management Teams (CHMT) to gain their full support in providing human resources for health and support in mobilising the local population. Obstetric fistula is a neglected, debilitating condition affecting many women in Kenya. It is usually associated with chronic disability that has severe physical, psychological, social, and economic consequences. In partnership with the Flying Doctors Society of Africa (FDSA), the M -Pesa Foundation restored the dignity of women and girls in Kenya targeting Bungoma, Nyeri, Kilifi, Kajiado and Tharaka Nithi counties. A total of 262 corrective surgeries was conducted against a target of 180 and 717 patients were screened during the period under review. Consequently 208 health workers and 254 community health promoters were trained to enhance their knowledge Caroline Gathigia Murage learnt about Wezesha from a marketing poster shared across a farmer group WhatsApp social media group. She was identified for a role as field officer by one of the Wezesha Agri input suppliers. Shortly after year end, she secured a job as a field officer for Kajiado South subcounty for Agropeat international, an international organisation that supports use of bio-organic fertilisers. As a field officer, Caroline manages a demo plot in the Wezesha farm assigned to Agropeat international. She also trains farmers at the farm on the use of bio-organic fertilisers and the benefits thereof. She is now imparting the skills and knowledge learnt in Wezesha to manage and train other Wezesha farmers. WEZESHA – TRANSFORMING LIVES “The Wezesha project is a life changer to many people in Kajiado county, especially to the youth in Kuku ward. Thanks to the Wezesha, I am now working with Agropeat International, something I would never have dreamt of. Long live Wezesha!” Caroline Murage, Wezesha Agri beneficiary