Safaricom (NSE: SCOM) has partnered with the National Council of Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) to connect persons with disabilities with job opportunities through an online portal. The portal, powered by IT service provider Fuzu, is a first in Africa and seeks to help employers easily identify and recruit Persons with Disabilities into their firms.
The portal, which has been active since November 2020, currently has over 360 employers and more than 5,000 job candidates. Safaricom has used the portal for its recruitment needs and supported NCPWD by mobilizing more employers to come on board. Additionally, TechCo has also been driving a campaign to encourage candidates to register and access the portal for employment opportunities.
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This partnership has earned Safaricom a nomination at the 2023 Zero Project awards, which recognizes the rights of persons with disabilities and seeks to improve their day-to-day lives. Safaricom is among five organizations nominated in Kenya, which is among 19 countries in Africa to have their innovations nominated for the 2023 Zero Project Awards.
“In 2018, Safaricom made a commitment at the Global Disability Summit to support the economic empowerment of persons with disabilities. Through this project, we have made great strides in increasing the prospects of persons with disabilities in their search for employment. Our nomination at the 2023 Zero Project Awards is a testament to our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion,” said Peter Ndegwa, CEO, OF Safaricom.
The Zero Project was launched in 2008 to support social innovation, social entrepreneurship, and Persons with Disabilities. The 2023 edition has 100 nominations from civil society, 11 nominations from the public sector, 5 nominations from the business sector, and 40 ICT innovations.
“We are excited about this partnership with Safaricom, which boosts the job prospects and improves the quality of life of persons with disabilities. The NCPWD Career Portal is a big step in our objective of having organizations reach the minimum 5% reservation of employees with disabilities as per the Persons with Disabilities Act No. 14 of 2003,” said Mr. Harun Hassan, the Executive Director, NCPWD.
