7 farms get Sh11 million emergency Covid-19 fund for workers
What you need to know:
The beneficiaries are Flamingo Mt Kenya, Flamingo Naivasha, Oserian, Kenya Horticultural Exporters (KHE), Tambuzi, Ravine and Simbi Roses.
The funds will help develop healthcare and sanitation measures aimed at preventing the spread of Covid-19 and protecting farm workers.
Seven Kenyan horticulture farms will benefit from a Sh11 million emergency fund provided by Waitrose, a UK-based store in partnership with Farm Africa Kenya, meant to cushion them against the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic.
The beneficiaries are Flamingo Mt Kenya, Flamingo Naivasha, Oserian, Kenya Horticultural Exporters (KHE), Tambuzi, Ravine and Simbi Roses.
The funds will help develop healthcare and sanitation measures aimed at preventing the spread of Covid-19 and protecting farm workers.
Mr Rupert Thomas, Director of Food and Grocery at Waitrose, said the funds will be used to improve workers’ access to essential services such as healthcare, childcare and support those on reduced earnings through food packages.
“This pandemic poses the greatest humanitarian and economic threat of our generation and, whilst we face many difficult decisions, as a collective industry we must continue to look at ways we can help to protect people and their livelihoods during this unprecedented time," he said.
Since 2017, Farm Africa and the Waitrose & Partners Foundation have been creating better livelihoods for workers and their families that grow, pick and package Waitrose’s fresh produce across seven vegetable and flower farms in Kenya.
Farm Africa Project Coordinator Peter Ndungu said the joint project has been improving health and well-being facilities of over 12,000 employees.
“The Covid-19 pandemic is hitting Kenyan farm workers hard. The funding from the Waitrose & Partners Foundation will help farm workers to safely implement social distancing and gain access to essential services for their families during the crisis," said Mr Ndungu.
He added: "The measures we have put in place are just the start and we will continue to do everything we can to provide support to our suppliers and the people who form part of them, particularly those that are most vulnerable.”
Due to uncertainty around the longer-term impact of Covid-19, the foundation has also reserved emergency funding to provide support to communities and ensure the stability of its supply chain.
