These words resonate deeply with the six PS Kenya employees who joined over 22,000 other participants in the 2023 Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon. The event, which took place along the scenic Southern Bypass in Nairobi, marked a remarkable day of determination, unity, and purpose. This marathon was not just about crossing the finish line, but a testament to the power of collective effort in the pursuit of an economically inclusive society for the younger generation.
Standard Chartered’s ‘Futuremakers’ initiative aims to tackle inequality by promoting greater economic inclusion in our markets. Futuremakers supports disadvantaged young people aged 35 or below, especially girls and people with visual impairments, to learn new skills and improve their chances of getting a job or starting their own business. As of 2022, the initiative had reached more than 1 million young people, 74% of whom were young women.
For PS Kenya, the commitment to building a future where young girls and people with disabilities have an opportunity to reach their full potential, regardless of their background or circumstances, can be seen in our Binti Shupavu and DESIP Programs respectively.
Binti Shupavu is a vibrant program targeting adolescent girls aged 15–19 with a presence in four counties: Homa Bay, Kilifi, Migori, and Narok. The program educates adolescent girls and young mothers on the importance of family planning to prioritise their education, take control of their finances, and chase their career dreams. In 2022, a total of 22,604 adolescent girls with an unmet need adopted a modern contraceptive method in the target counties; 877 girls were reached through vocational and life skills building classes. 22 returned to school, 425 formed self-help groups, and 148 started individual businesses.
The Delivering Equitable and Sustainable Increases in Family Planning (DESIP) Program aims to increase family planning uptake among poor, rural women, adolescents, youth, and youth and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs). The program advocates for the improvement of different aspects of the lives of PWDs at the national, county, and community levels by advocating for health policies and tools that are inclusive of PWDs and encouraging clinical structural changes such as the construction of ramps and training of healthcare workers on the use of sign language and braille, among others. The program has reached over 500 PWDs in all 13 counties of engagement.
For PS Kenya, the phrase ‘We came, We ran, We conquered’, goes beyond the marathon itself. It encapsulates the organisation’s commitment to breaking down barriers and striving for a more inclusive and equitable society, an objective that shines through its transformative programs ensuring that the impact of their actions is felt across all 47 counties and beyond the finish line of any race.
