Kenya’s second largest slum, Mathare
Mathare slum dwellers will enjoy a free health clinic on Friday 12th September as the Nairobi standard chattered marathon marks its 12th anniversary in the slums of Nairobi Kenya during the launch of‘seeing is believing’ campaign.
The bank’s corporate social responsibility initiative is aiming to eradicate avoidable blindness in Kenya with the programme that was launched back in 2003.
Lamin Manjang, CEO standard chartered bank was optimistic that through the bank’s sponsoring the Nairobi marathon, he hopes to see the aim of the race fulfilled in Kenya.
Standard Chartered Kenya CEO Lamin Manjang
“we hope to raise the profile of Kenya internationally and promote local athletic talent as we raise money for this programme, we also would like to see a healthy nation where everyone can live and enjoy life with less complications such as those ones of eye sight,” the man from Gambia who started working in Kenya in February said and also revealed that he wants to sponsor the Nairobi marathon in the next coming five years.
Nairobi marathon has seen its fair share of challenges since its inauguration, but the races have managed to raise more than one million dollars Manjang added and was complimented with Athletics Kenya president Isaiah Kiplagat.
AK President Isaiah Kiplagat
“When we started this marathon, it was difficult to bring everything as it is now, at that time I remember even the mayor of this city was not interested in hearing what I had to offer on the table, he did not give me an audience at all. We at AK promise to work tirelessly and ensure that this marathon with its campaign is a success for the good of this country,” the tough talking AK boss revealed.
The marathon targets to raise 25 million Kenya shillings this year. Money raised will be used to sponsor cataract, glaucoma and trauma related surgeries for around 6,000 needy children under the ages of nine at five hospitals country wide in Kenya.
Mathare slums in Nairobi Kenya will on Friday 12th September have its residents enjoy free services from clinics that will be set up to check on the above named diseases as proceedings from the marathon will be put in use as a give back measure to society.
Author: Shadrack Andenga Odinga