Cigna Foundation has partnered Cup of Uji Kenya, a school feeding programme founded by Hope Alive Campaign, a community-based organisation, to reduce food insecurity among primary school children in Kenya.
In line with the partnership, the foundation contributed $200,000 to fund nutritious meals for children and nurture their health and well-being.
The contribution is supported by Cigna’s Healthier Kids for Our Future®, a five-year global initiative launched in 2019 to improve the health and well-being of children – and to help build healthier, more vibrant communities for the next generation.
Healthier Kids for Our Future is aligned with three of the 17 leading global objectives identified by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The partnership supports local non-governmental organisations with the funds with an aim to purchase and distribute 500,000 meals comprising rice and beans across local schools. Through this initiative, Cigna will empower local NGOs that understand the requirements of schools, with resources to fulfil the needs of the community. The project is set to incentivise primary school children in Kenya to attend school.
Speaking on the foundation’s efforts to combat global hunger, Chief Executive Officer of Cigna in Middle East, Africa and South East Asia, Jerome Droesch, said, “It is disturbing to witness this growing challenge of global hunger and to do nothing about it.
“If not addressed, we will see 840m people facing hunger by 2030, as per the predictions of the World Food Programme. Children who go hungry are likely to suffer from severe nutritional issues that can impact both their long-term physical and mental health.”
He added, “In our efforts to offer hope for a healthier life to the children of Kenya, we are committed to this partnership with the Cup of Uji Kenya for the long haul. This effort has enabled Cigna and its employees to actively contribute towards the purchase, packaging and distribution of meals on ground. It was a deeply moving experience for Cigna’s employees to work alongside the Cup of Uji Kenya team to make this initiative come alive.”
