Edition 31, March 2024

During Women’s Month in March, the whole world got to celebrate women and the achievements they have made in the different spheres and created awareness on inclusivity and gender equality. As equality champions, we were not left behind! We had the pleasure of shining a spotlight on the amazing women within our organization who are making a difference and achieving great things. From breaking barriers to leading impactful initiatives, these women are truly inspirational. Join us as we share their stories and celebrate their achievements in this issue.

A career in technology was never on the horizon for Hellen Nalianya , but she took a gamble which saw her immersed in this male-dominated field as a techpreneur. We also got to catch up with Maureen Misoi , a woman in tech who has faced her fair share of challenges, but she has proven her mettle and shown that women can be successful in fields depicted as male. Finally, on the International Women’s Month series, get to know about Okoa Chap Chap, a Safaricom product that is one of its kind and was innovated by a female team lead. Shiffira Gakenia , Product Manager, Airtime Credit and Call completion at Safaricom tells us more about it.

On matters innovation, we have featured Zuri Health, a startup that uses technology to provide accessible and personalized healthcare solutions. The startup which has partnered with M-Pesa Foundation?has some innovative features which come in handy especially at the organized medical camps, including, an AI diagnostic tool that features voice and facial recognition capabilities, which can be used in mental health screening.

As you are well aware by now, we are avid supporters of sports! This time, we embarked on an exhilarating journey to the North Eastern region allowing us to experience firsthand the obstacles that footballers in the region encounter The scorching weather makes training hard, the thorny vegetation poses challenges for the ball, the dusty pitches contribute to player injuries and on the mental front, there is a sense of isolation and marginalization. Get up close and personal with a few players as they share their firsthand experience and love for the game.

Further up North, learn more on why three million is the magical number in Ethiopia. Explore the strides made so far to achieve a digital future. Finally, we have an exciting bonus podcast, as we set out to explore digital transformation, and who better than Joe Kanyua, the Head of Digital Transformation at Safaricom to expound on the subject?

Sit back, and immerse yourself in the enriching content we have prepared for you. As usual, remember to share widely across your networks.

…TOP STORY…

Hellen Nalianya: Taking Chances in Tech

At Safaricom, Hellen Nalianya has been noticed for stepping into a male-dominated field. Hellen has also been blessed to have a circle of strong women who’ve held her and others accountable in the journey of entrepreneurship. “I have been privileged to be part of the Safaricom Women in Business mentorship program since 2019 and looking back, I can say this was a game changer and has been so transformational.”

Here’s Her Story

Give Her Credit

As a woman in tech, Maureen Misoi has faced her fair share of challenges, but she has proven her mettle and shown that women can be successful in fields depicted as male. She has a degree in Computer Science and therefore knows the technical side of things, and she also has a master’s degree in business management, which combined with 15 years’ experience in corporate, prepared her for the rigours of running a business. She started Optimax Group Limited , an ICT company, and got into the business of offering ICT services. As Optimax continued to gain experience, it started getting work as a Tier 2 subcontractor for Safaricom.

Learn More

How we created Okoa Chap Chap, a first of its kind in the world

As you think about how frustrating it can be to have limited airtime when you need to make a quick phone call, a team at Safaricom was also thinking about you. Headed by Shiffira Gakenia , Product Manager, Airtime Credit and Call completion at Safaricom, the team had noticed a worrisome trend. More than 10 million of the 110 million calls made on the Safaricom network per day were disconnected because of subscribers running out of airtime, with the affected callers getting a recorded message.

Learn More

With tech, Zuri seeks to offer personalised healthcare to underserved communities

To provide long-term solutions at their medical camps, the M-PESA Foundation has linked up with Zuri Health , a startup that uses technology to provide accessible and personalised healthcare solutions. Patients who get treated at M-Pesa Foundation medical camps can access a doctor via SMS, a chatbot, or WhatsApp for free follow-up consultation. “This is not a touch-and-go initiative like the usual medical camps. There is continuity of care. We register you and get your details so that once you are attended to at the medical camp, we can follow up for the next year with whichever healthcare provider served you,” explains Dr Mokeira Gisairo .

Discover More

Three million: The magical number in Ethiopia

When he looks at the many sets of data on Ethiopia available, Wim Vanhelleputte gets excited at one number – three million. Three million is the number of Ethiopians who turn 18 every year, which means a lot for the man in charge of Safaricom Ethiopia, which started commercial operations in October 2022. “We have to be there for them. We have to be their brand, their aspirational brand, because they need data,” Wim told investors at a meeting in Addis Ababa recently.

Discover More

Breaking barriers in North Eastern

A boys’ football team from Garissa County with coaches in their early twenties and a girls’ football team from Wajir County that is breaking societal norms were the endearing storylines from the North Eastern regional final of the fourth edition of the Safaricom Chapa Dimba competition. Wajir All Stars who had advanced to the finals after edging out Marina FC from Mandera 3-1 on post-match penalties after a baren draw in the semis were crowned the new boys’ champions after beating Lyon 04 FC from Garissa 2-0. Lyon 04 had no opponents in the semis.?In the girls’ category, Wajir Queens were given a walkover due to lack of opponents at the regional level.

Learn More

Why digital transformation is an existential issue

On the latest episode of the Safaricom Newsroom podcast, we set out to explore digital transformation, and who better than Joe K. Kanyua , the Head of Digital Transformation at Safaricom to expound on the subject? Across many sectors in Kenya today, it is hard to go a day without coming across the words digital, digitisation, and the phrase digital transformation. The words and phrases linked to digital have become buzzwords. Companies routinely declare that they are ‘going digital’, individuals are proud to be identified as digital, and Kenya is generally known for its digital affinity, with increasing smartphone penetration and internet access.

Listen Now

What you missed out on in February

Why this young concertmaster is the best in Kenya

Lura has always loved the sounds that a violin can make and the music she can play on it. Her love, dedication, passion and the hard work she has put into her craft have seen her flourish as a musician and become concertmaster for the Safaricom Youth Orchestra. Just recently, she sat her IGCSE music exam, and scored an A star. Her stellar performance was in part due to a routine that consisted of hours of practice during the school week, and even longer practice sessions with the Safaricom Youth Orchestra (SYO) on weekends.

Watch Her Story