Youth Council receives 34, 000 KN95 face masks to help vulnerable Youth in fight against Covid-19

By Mourice Seretta

The National Youth Council (NYC) on Wednesday received a donation of 34 thousand KN95 face masks from Sigma Pharmaceuticals, a UK based company.

The Ministry of ICT, Innovations and Youth Affairs Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru who was Chief Guest at the event held at the Councils Headquarters in Nairobi said that the initiative aligns with the Governments’ pandemic fight, and aligned to the NYC Mandate and outlook.

“We are pleased by your noble intentions and consideration of Government, as a strategic partner. We are particularly excited, as this initiative aligns with the Governments’ pandemic fight for the year 2021, with regard to Covid-19 response,” said CS Mucheru.

“I believe that our Youth play a key role in the management of this outbreak and thus plays a pivotal role and need, to be included in initiatives for economy recovery: Building Back Together beyond,” added CS Mucheru.

He added that the youth are particularly vulnerable to the disruptions the pandemic had caused, and many were now at risk of being left behind in Education, Economic opportunities, and Health and wellbeing, during a crucial stage of their life development.

“It is therefore important to ensure that our Youth are geared with protective equipment and health supplies, to prevent COVID-19. I must state that Kenya is a Youthful Country as 75% constitutes of young people, hence, my emphasis on the effectiveness of your donation today, during this period, when the surge is high and the KN95 face masks now being a need to the Youth. We are therefore so humbled, as this donation from Sigma Pharmaceuticals PLC-UK, will cultivate sustainability of the COVID-19 Response Campaigns that we had started in 2020, in protecting the Youth,” stated CEO NYC Mr Sasaka.

Sigma Pharmaceuticals Founder abd CEO Bharat Shah on his opart said that that was just the beginning towards along partnership betweem the NYC and Sigma Phamaceuticals.

“My two brothers, myself and our wives are all Kenyan born, and we have a particular ‘soft spot’ for Kenya. I emigrated to UK in the late 70s but still a Kenyan at heart. We believe that the 34,000 high quality KN95 face masks will go a long way towards protecting our Youth, as they go out to fend for themselves, and their families,” Mr Shah said.

NYC pledges to continuously sensitise the Youth on COVID-19, and work with like-minded stakeholders, to have an Empowered Youth who will be able to exercise their rights and responsibilities, towards Building Back Together a united and better country. NYC remains committed towards making sure that the face masks donated get to the vulnerable Youth, across the country.