Home News Two community projects bags Ksh1m each in 2024 LG Ambassador Challenge

Two community projects bags Ksh1m each in 2024 LG Ambassador Challenge

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[LG Electronics EA MD Dongwon Lee (left) and Korea Food For The Hungry International Project Manager Erick Markarios hand over a 1M Kenya shillings cheque to Furaha Community Foundation Co-founder & Executive Director David Oginga and Furaha Community Foundation pupil Godwin Odeng during the official awarding ceremony of the 2024 LG Ambassador Challenge winners. Photo/LG/July, 10, 24].

Two community projects, one seeking to upgrade the infrastructure of a Kajiado County school, and another that will equip a physiotherapy center in Nairobi’s Huruma slums, have been selected as the winners of the 2024 LG Ambassador Challenge, taking home KSh1 million each to advance their initiatives.

The Kajiado project targets the installation of equipment at the Ntinyika Primary School, which is located in Ilmarba Location, Oloililai Subcounty. The school, which has 180 students across the pre-primary to junior school levels, lacks critical infrastructure, with a dire need for electricity, water and classroom equipment, including books.

“We are really happy to be selected for the award because this means that our school will now have critical items like sufficient lighting, water storage and much-needed textbooks. We are also keen to acquire basic computers that will give a chance to our students to interact with modern ICT tools,” said the school Head teacher, Paul Kamau.

In Huruma, the second winning project hopes to equip a physiotherapy center that will benefit up to 30 children with special needs. The project is run by Furaha Community Foundation, an NGO that has since 2005 been working to support the transformation of the lives of children within the community, but have been limited in their support to those of different abilities, owing to a lack of appropriate equipment and other installations.

Its prize winnings are targeted at the acquisition of the tools, including gym equipment, required to run the program effectively. Part of the budget will also support the provision of meals to the children, and wages for professional physiotherapists and caregivers.

“The winnings will help us provide inclusive, quality education and therapeutic support to differently-abled children. We already have an existing facility, which we now aim to upgrade with the equipment needed to create a child and family-friendly environment for regular physiotherapy services. This is in addition to offering nutrition support,” said the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Foundation, David Oginga

Now in its fourth year, the Challenge is run by LG Electronics (LG) East Africa and the Korea Food for the Hungry International (KFHI), a renowned non-governmental organisation. It aims to recognise and support groups that actively address the pressing challenges within their communities.

This year 53 groups submitted their applications, which were whittled down to 10 from whom the final two were selected to win the cash award for investment in their communities. Applicants were required to submit comprehensive project plans and comparative estimates for each item purchased, ensuring transparency and accountability.

A rigorous monitoring and evaluation process will be implemented to the two winning projects, with KFHI providing customised project progress and monitoring based on the location of the project screening, community selection, and unique characteristics of their teams. This individualised approach aims to maximise the impact of each project and facilitate meaningful change within communities. Additionally, KFHI’s Kenya branch will conduct regular visits, voice and video calls, and SMS communication with the winning teams, 2-3 times per week.

LG’s East Africa Managing Director, Dongwon Lee, said the Challenge has over the years drawn attention to the numerous projects that are transforming the lives of people in their communities.

“There are many groups running impactful projects in their communities and from previous editions of the Ambassador Challenge, we have seen just how quickly their work can be impacted with some support,” he said.

“This year, we received the highest number of applicants, all of which had great ideas. It was a tough process to select just two, but the winning duo really stood out. We also hope that the other groups will keep advancing their business plans, as they all portend a great impact,” said KHFI Project Manager Erick Markarios.

The LG Ambassador Challenge is part of LG Electronics East Africa’s community social responsibility engagements, which provide an opportunity for investment in local solutions that create lasting change and build resilient communities.

The company has to date given out Ksh11 million in prize money to former winners, who have gone ahead to leave a notable impact in their communities.

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