Equity Bank donates 2,000 mosquito nets to market vendors to support Covid-19 fight
Equity Bank Uganda Executive Director Mr Anthony Kituuka hands over the mosquito nets to Executive Director KCCA Dorothy Kisaka at City Hall
What you need to know:
To supplement the government efforts, Equity Bank Uganda has donated 2,000 mosquito nets valued Shs40 million to Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) for market vendors
The death of 234 Ugandans due to Covid-19 in the last one month forced President Museveni to declare a total lockdown in Uganda, six months after the state had made pronouncements of a gradually phased re-opening.
Among the directives issued to curb the spread of Covid-19, the President requested that market vendors all over the country remain at their places of work for the next 42. He promised that government will give out free mosquito nets to the vendors who will be sleeping in the markets.
To supplement the government efforts, Equity Bank Uganda has donated 2,000 mosquito nets valued Shs40 million to Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) for market vendors. The Bank appreciates all vendors who heeded this call and are playing their role by ensuring steady food supply.
“This contribution is in addition to what the Bank had previously donated to the Covid-19 task force that comprised two brand-new Toyota double cabin pickup and Personal Protective Equipment worth Shs100 million,” Mr Anthony Kituuka, Equity Bank Uganda Executive Director said.
He said “As a Bank, our vision is to be the champion of the socio-economic prosperity of the people of Africa. It is a journey of collective growth, empowerment, community development, and uplifting each other to realize our full potential and as an inclusive bank. The vendors currently spending nights in the market are key partners, keeping them healthy is important to us, the current directive by the president aims at curbing the rapid spread of the disease. We believe with joint efforts we can fight to restore normalcy of lives and livelihoods.”
“We appreciate in a special way the Government-led strategy to keep all of us safe and believe that with unity of purpose and in partnership with our government, we will overcome this pandemic. As corporate citizens of Eastern Africa, Equity Bank Group is committed to doing its part to adhere to the governments’ stipulated guidelines and protocols to curb the spread of Covid-19,” he added.
More than 60 per cent of the bank’s micro loans customers are men and women like market vendors who need to access fast processed loans ranging from as low as 500,000 to keep their businesses running.
Mr Kituuka said Equity Bank Uganda continues to comply with all the government advisory and protocols in the fight against the spread of Covid-19. During these challenging times, the Bank has facilitated customer access to banking services safely and securely through its digital channels and its over 5,000 Equity duuka agency banking network.
“We are also working with various donor agencies to ensure that close to 55,000 households in the refugee settlements of Nakivale, Kyaka II and Orucinga receive their monthly cash-based transfers for food assistance using digital and agency banking channels,” he said.
The Executive Director KCCA, Dorothy Kisaka applauded Equity Bank for their contribution and assured the public that this and all the other donations will be used in a transparent and accountable manner to improve service delivery and the fight against Covid-19.
