Supporting Frontline Workers and Community Safety and Wellbeing
Coca Cola is leveraging its marketing, advertising and packaging for mass communication on the virus and working with a non-profit health organization to provide medical supplies to needy hospitals.
They have also partnered with the Kenya Red Cross to provide hydration and beverages for medical staff working on the front-line of testing and quarantine center’s across Nairobi as well as leveraged its wide distribution network to transport essential supplies across the country e.g. hand sanitizers and water.
Together with SHOFCO, they are installing hygiene stands at slum entry points and roll out door to door campaigns in Kibera, Mukuru and Mathare.
Facilitating Access to Verified Information on COVID-19
Facebook have given the Ministry of Health free ad credits to run coronavirus education campaigns on its platforms.
The company is also launching a WhatsApp Business API – a dedicated Coronavirus hotline, as an automated ‘chatbot’ service to provide answers to common questions about Coronavirus from the Ministry of Health 24 hours a day and enable the Ministry of Health to send urgent messages to all Kenyans who opt-in for the service.
Facilitating Access to Verified Information and Internet Connectivity
Google is pointing local Google search users to links to the government’s official online information resources on COVID-19. Their SOS Alert in and knowledge panel also gives the latest information from the WHO about COVID 19 symptoms, prevention or treatments.
The company is also supporting the government with the creation and promotion of COVID-19 informational and educational videos and removing COVID-19 misinformation on YouTube, Google Maps, Google Play and in ads.
They are also providing technical support to the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development in broadcasting its school lessons live on YouTube and extended advanced features of its video conferencing tool – Meet – for free to all subscribers of its suite of office productivity, including schools who get the suite for free.
They have developed a free website on the hows of remote working for workers of all kinds – https://grow.google/remotework/ – and a website for distance learning resources.
They are further improving access to internet connectivity in Kenya using Google Loon.
Using AI and Analytics to Develop Locally Relevant Solutions to COVID-19 Challenges
IBM Launched Watson Citizen Assistant to help countries respond to incoming COVID-19-related questions from residents.
In Kenya, they organized an online hackathon bringing together innovators and developers to design and develop appropriate and locally relevant solutions to address challenges brought about by Covid-19 using technologies such as artificial intelligence and analytics.
They are also making available their online learning platform for free training on new technologies including certification and online job search engine available at www.digitalnationafrica.com
Training Healthcare Workers and Technical Support and Expertise for Program Management
Johnson & Johnson is providing nursing training support through the World Continuing Education Alliance (WCEA) digital platform. The content is the WHO-approved curriculum that is being adapted by AKUSONAM and the nursing council in Kenya.
The company has also offered one-year technical support for the Covid-19 National Secretariat at the Ministry of Health hosted in the Chief Administrative Secretary Health office through staffing by 2 key staff focusing on program management and epidemiology.
They further made a cash donation of USD 50,000 to the Business Compact Flexible Rapid Response fund.
Mastercard
Mastercard committed $25 million in seed funding to the COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator, a global initiative in collaboration with Wellcome and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to speed-up the response to the COVID-19 epidemic by identifying, assessing, developing, and scaling-up treatments.
Providing Personal Protective Equipment for Frontline Healthcare Workers
Honeywell is supporting response teams through the supply of necessary required personal protective equipment.
Ramping up Production of Critical Supplies of Equipment for Healthcare Workers
3M have significantly increased output of critical supplies for healthcare workers and maximized production of a wide range of products used in the COVID-19 response globally including N95 and 3M’s powered air purifying respirators (PAPRs), hand sanitizers, disinfectants, and filtration solutions.
Providing Free Contactless Delivery to Support Business Continuity
Uber Eats is providing safety information to delivery people, restaurants, and customers in line with Ministry of Health guidance. Launched a “leave at door” feature, helping delivery people and customers protect themselves and their community.
Delivery options continue to generate business to restaurants who have been required to shut their doors to the public. Uber Eats has waived the delivery fee for all orders to independent restaurants to help demand and keep orders coming in.
Uber has also introduced safety recommendations in app to raise awareness about suggested travel restrictions and social distancing with “travel only if necessary” in app messaging.
Uber has a team available 24/7 to support public health authorities in their response to the epidemic. Working with them, they may temporarily suspend the accounts of customers, drivers and delivery people, and restaurants confirmed to have contracted or been exposed to COVID‑19.
Supporting Community Safety
Partnering with the County Government of Murang’a County, Delmonte is providing machinery and labor for fumigation of marketplaces, shopping centers, villages and where possible offices.
The company is also delivering water through its high capacity water bowsers to communities such as Kihiumwiri, Thika, and Ndula among others where water is scarce and also intend to install mobile handwash stations within these communities.
Supporting Remote Learning and Working
Microsoft is providing free access to its Microsoft Teams Platform for educational institutions and working with the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) as it updates education material for its online platform. The company is also providing 6-months free access to Microsoft Teams to SMEs (and Corporates).
Supporting Remote Working for Institutions
Cisco is supporting remote working for the Central Government, financial institutions, SME’s, education institutions, county governments, and other organizations in Kenya. IGAD and Government cabinet meetings, for example, are being facilitated through Webex and Cisco devices.
Equipping Businesses with Information and Resources to Navigate Existing Operational Challenges and Prepare for the Future
BCG has created a special free COVID-19 information page with briefings and resources, industry perspectives and lessons learned to help businesses cope and act to mitigate the negative impact available here.
Providing Thought Leadership, Resources and Insights for Business
Through their Global Pandemic Preparedness Task Force, Dentons HHM are providing advanced thinking and resources, in relation to COVID-19 sharing best practices, insights and guidance on their dedicated global COVID-19 hub which can be accessed by emailing covid19response@dentons.com.
Providing Global Insights on Navigating Existing Business Challenges
Pooled the insights of Deloitte leaders in affected areas around the world to provide practical insights for chief executives and their leadership teams in taking appropriate action.
Helping Companies Better Understand their Position and Offering Tools and Resources to Navigate Existing Challenges
Developed a digital assessment tool called the PwC’s COVID-19 Navigator that helps companies to better understand where the organisation is on its path toward preparedness and response including the potential impact to their business, the assessment is available online here: https://pwc.to/CV-Navigator
Helping Businesses Reduce Operating Costs Through an Alternative Green Energy Solar Solution
REDAVIA is helping businesses to reduce their operating costs with a free solar plant leasing service. REDAVIA has introduced the COVID-19 Resilience Lease, which provides solar power plants to business customers for six months, completely for free.
Coordinating and Supporting SMEs on Business Strategy and Operational Transformation
Enreal are coordinating SMEs and providing free consultancy advice on strategy, operations and business transformation to help SMEs survive the crisis period through strategic interventions and opportunities.
Providing Information and Support to Vulnerable Communities
Penda Health launched a Call Center and are developing and sharing educational materials that are relevant to those living in the low-income communities where they work.
Provision of Testing Kits
Abbott are supplying diagnostic test kits for COVID-19 both molecular (PCR) and rapid test kits (RTKs).
Repurposing Existing Operations to Supply Critical Equipment for Healthcare Workers
PVH have Re-purposed their resources in the apparel sector to medical supply needs; Scrubs and masks in particular.