Safaricom is the largest telecommunications provider in East Africa, and one of the leading employers of people with disabilities. Before working with Sightsavers, Safaricom had already started on its journey towards the constitutional requirement (a minimum of 5 per cent of employees with disabilities), but needed help to reach the target.
As part of Futuremakers, Safaricom partnered with an initiative called ‘The IT Bridge Academy’ which provides young people with disabilities in Kenya with a strong career foundation in IT. Safaricom offers six-month paid internships to select graduates, bringing the company access to a new pool of talent – while also supporting their inclusion ambitions.
Safaricom has not only strengthened its infrastructure to support employees with different impairments, but also received training for staff on how to relate to people with disabilities in the workplace.