African tech companies have decided to unite against COVID-19 via the Kenya Safe hands program. The Safe Hands Kenya is a nationwide public awareness. This awareness is sponsored by popular tech companies like Jumia, Twiga, KOKO Networks, Copia, Ushahidi, M-KOPA, and Lynk. They also link up with several communities and providing mass sanitation with a free sanitizer, surface disinfectants, soap, and masks for all Kenyans. This will assist in the fight against COVID-19 within the communities.
About the initiative
This initiative will help in the challenges presented by COVID-19 that might occur in Kenya and other parts of the world. Some measure has also been implemented around the world. And these measures include extreme social distancing, lockdown, and the use of a mask. Some of these measures are difficult to achieve in the African context, and the reason is that many families live nearby. So, there’s always a need to move about to get basic needs for their families. And also, there are several areas where people live close. These areas tend to facilitate the spread of the virus.
Therefore, if this is left unattended to the effect of COVID-19 could be devastating. The program has also declared the immediate provision of tools for rapid sanitation. These tools include surface disinfectant, soap, hand sanitizer, and face mask). People are also educated on the use of these tools, with this, people can adopt and use them regularly. This is very effective in keeping them safe and also making society function properly.
Principles for effective use
Key principles were adopted by the alliance formed by popular tech companies. And these key principles include 1) Speed is critical, i.e. every day counts; 2) Zero-Margin: this is for impact, not profit; 3) last-mile saturation: we leave no-one behind.
“Quick mass sanitation of surfaces and hands together with the use of masks is a scalable and pragmatic strategy in the Kenyan view. While our first focus is on Kenya, we are also committed to bringing actionable blueprint for other countries outside Kenya. These countries are also facing similar difficulties. So, they can know how to work and accelerate speed to market,” says CEO of Safe Hands Kenya, Andrew Waititu.
“Also, we intend to know and sustain the Safe Hands Kenya’s program. For as long as possible and welcome more capability partners and funding to those who can accelerate the impact of our approach.”
The impact of COVID-19 has caused so much chaos. Banks have been closed, small businesses have been closed, and movements have also been restricted. Schools have been shut, travels have been put on hold, and major sporting events like tennis, soccer, and boxing have been suspended. There are no estimates or report when the pandemic will end, that is why it’s necessary to have the best preventive measures in place.
The pandemic has also made importation and exportation of food impossible to achieve, and even farming has been difficult to do. Food security has been reduced, and animal husbandry has been slow for fear of not letting the animals contact the virus.
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