Google gives Kenya Sh1.1bn for post-Covid recovery efforts

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday received a Sh1.1 billion grant from American technology giant Google to support Kenya’s post Covid-19 recovery efforts.

The grant was announced during President Kenyatta’s virtual meeting with Google’s Chief Executive Officer, Sundar Pichai, on the sidelines of a public discussion on digital transformation in Africa, organised by the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA).

A statement from State House said the $10 million package will support small businesses ($3 million), Kenyan startups ($5 million) and charity work ($2 million).

Mr Pichai announced several other investments lined up by his organisation for Kenya.

“The company will expand its Google for Startups Accelerator programme this year by supporting 100,000 businesses and 15,000 developers in the country,” he said.

In the education sector, the company will train 29,000 students and 1,800 teachers on remote learning using its Google Classroom platform.

President Kenyatta thanked the company for driving digital transformation across Kenya in the 13 years of its operations in the country.

“Thank you for being very close collaborators with Kenya over the years. We started the journey to move into the digital world almost two decades ago. You have been a good part of that journey that has enabled many Kenyans, through the use of technology and digitisation, to access financial services and knowledge, and enhance their business capacities,” he said.

Other kinds of aid

Google has committed Sh300 million in grants to support education, entrepreneurship and women empowerment in Africa.

This is part of its support for businesses, job seekers, and educational institutions to recover from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In September, Google gave a Sh125 million grant to GiveDirectly Kenya for 500 women who had lost their sources of income due to the pandemic.

The grant was aimed at helping them to start their own businesses or find new ways of supporting themselves financially.

Another goal was to equip the women with livelihood improvement activities and training to promote entrepreneurship and financial literacy.

Google also committed to help Kenyans in the formal and informal sectors to find new opportunities.

According to the Ministry of Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs, youth unemployment is estimated to be as high as 35 per cent, with approximately 800,000 young Kenyans joining the labour market every year.

Internet connectivity

During the public discussion moderated by former CNN journalist Zain Verjee, the President also highlighted internet connectivity the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), through which the government aims to give Stem subjects the prominence they deserve.

The goal is to change Kenya’s economy from one reliant on agriculture to one powered by technology.

Mr Kenyatta  said the country will achieve this ambition by linking Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with the high potential and expansive global markets.

“True growth in Kenya is going to be led by SMEs so we need to [equip] them,” he said, adding his administration is keen on expanding market opportunities for Kenyan businesses through the ongoing Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations with the USA and other multilateral platforms such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Mr Pichai said the pandemic has accelerated digital growth in Africa and assured President Kenyatta that Google will continue partnering with African governments in the delivery of technology solutions.

ICT Cabinet Secretary Joseph Mucheru, a former Google employee, attended the meetings alongside his Foreign Affairs counterpart Raychelle Omamo, State House Chief of Staff Nzioka Waita, his deputy incharge of strategy, Mrs Ruth Kagia ,and ICT Principal Secretary Jerome Ochieng.