Chandaria, Youth Council partner to fight coronavirus

Chandaria industries and the National Youth Council have partnered in a mission to rebuild the countries economy in the wake of the Coronavirus epidemic  through the FURSA programme.

The first step in the partnership is to curb the spread of Covid -19 among the youth by involving them in community sensitisation. The  mission  dubbed Vijana Tuhepuke Corona.

They say they are committed to helping the youth play an integral role in helping rebuild the economy that is already on its knees following the effects occasioned by the Covid-19.

As part of their efforts to achieve this mission, Chandaria Industries on Wednesday donated material worth Sh2.7 million to be distributed among youth groups and organisations with the aim of fighting the pandemic.

More money will be used in the sensitisation and empowerment of the youth across the country according to Chandaria Group Chief Executive Officer Darshan Chandaria.

While donating 10,000 facemasks valued at Sh1,000,000, liquid hand-wash whose cost is Sh1,000,000 and tissue paper worth Sh700,000 to proactively support the youth in the fight against COVID 19, Dr Chandaria said his company will work with the NYC not only in the current predicament facing the country but also in future in empowering the youth and also in creation of jobs and opportunities to build their capacity in different fields.

“Our aim is to get necessity items during this Covid-19 period to the youth of this country. This part of our wider campaign to empower the youth because we need them in future for the development of this country,” Dr Chandaria said.

“It is the youth that form the backbone of this country and I thank the government for setting up the National Youth Council because through our partnership we will be able to reach the young generation in every corner of the country,” he added.

Dr Chandaria said his group of companies has entered into a partnership with the NYC through which  they now have a platform to achieve the passion to support the youth.

“Coronavirus will come and go, but we will need the youth to help rebuild our economy which we know is so much battered because of the current happenings,” observed the Chandaria CEO.

The National Youth Council (NYC) is a State Corporation in the Ministry of ICT, Innovation and Youth Affairs which came into being through the enactment of the NYC Act 2009 as the official voice of the youth.

The mandate of the council is to advocate for youth opportunities to associate, be represented and participate in the Political, Social, Economic and other spheres of life.

The Council has been at the forefront in championing for the youth role in combating the rapid spread of the Coronavirus pandemic.

NYC Chief Executive Officer Roy Sasaka Telewa said it is through reaching out to the youth that the widespread of Coronavirus will be stopped.

“We have carried sensitization campaigns using the hashtag #VijanaTuepukeCorona, advocated for national cohesion using the hashtag #WeAreUnited and #FursaYetu as one of the critical to curb this ravaging pandemic.

Further, we have procured 5,000 face masks for the youth to put vigor and energy in these efforts. In turn, the youth through Youth Serving Organizations will normalize the wearing masks because it is going to be our new norm for the next two to three months as we kick off an online campaign with the hashtag #KaaRadaNaMask,” Sasaka Telewa stated.

Chandaria Industries is not only collaborating with the Council during this pandemic period but also proactively supporting the Council’s long-term goals, which is youth employability and employment through what NYC has dubbed FURSA programme which gives an opportunity to the youth to be active contributors to the economic development of this nation.

Ministry of ICT Permanent Secretary Julius Korir who received the donation on behalf of the NYC said the government is committed to ensuring the lives of the youth in the country are safe from the COVID 19.

“We are stopping at nothing to save our youth from contracting this disease and thanks to institutions like Chandaria Industries, I know we will win the fight,” said Korir.