The dawn of the morning sun to many people is a sign of new beginnings, and a chance to achieve botched dreams of yesterday. To one Henry Ithiami, each ray of light is a stuck reminder of his self-bred responsibility to humanity.  

Having grown up through a series of difficulties as a child and forced to seek hard manual labour at an early age just to get money for basic needs including school uniform, books and pocket money, he knows first-hand how tough it can be for those from poor backgrounds. So while most look up to organisations to help the needy, he and many others have a different idea. 

Today, Mr. Ithiami is the Quality and Safety Manager at the Kenya Electricity Generating Company PLC (KenGen) – East Africa’s largest power producer but that has not made him forget his humble roots. 

Lucky for him, KenGen through its philanthropy arm the KenGen Foundation introduced a model in the year 2015 which gives employees an opportunity to make a difference to the lives of the less fortunate in society through their generous donations. Giving a new meaning to CSR!

This is not far removed from Michael Porter and Mark Kramer’s notion of ‘shared value’, which was introduced to the global corporate scene in the year 2006 through an article, titled “Strategy and Society: The Link Between Competitive Advantage and Corporate Social Responsibility,” whose entry shifted the view of CSR in business for good.

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Interestingly, when this idea was being introduced, the discussion around Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) – which many today prefer to replace the ‘R’ with ‘Investment’ – was mostly about the economic benefits of CSR. Around the same time, Mr. Ithiami was working at Sameer Africa, where his resolve to help was crystallised.

He says he was greatly influenced by the then CEO of the tyre company Eric Kimani who started small while still in employment but went on to be one of Kenya’s most influential entrepreneurs and philanthropists. His ventures are today not only profitable but also address some of the most urgent sustainability needs in the society.   

But as the debate about economic benefits of CSR rages on, KenGen has chosen to take the concept of shared values in a more practical way – looking not outwards to the communities but inwards – towards building a sustainable relationship that is a win-win for both the organisation and communities.

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 “We launched the KenGen Employee Giver Initiative program specifically to turn all employees into philanthropists by making either monetary donations or using their professional skills to donate their time to help address a number of challenges in our society,” said Anthony Igecha, KenGen Foundation’s Ag. Managing Trustee. This was three years ago. 

And as sure as the first African sun hits the geothermal-active fields of Olkaria from the east, so did the team from the KenGen Foundation led by its founding CEO Mike Njeru who has since retired. They arrived in Naivasha one morning to a welcome of over 1,000 employees. This would be the first of a series of meetings with staff to sell the novel concept of the ‘Employee Giver Initiative’.

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At first the team was met with scepticism as many received this new trend in CSR with disbelief, perhaps because they were being asked to donate part of their salaries towards a worthy cause. But who would blame them for doubting, our society is rife with stories of people being conned in broad daylight in the name of charity!

“We faced some challenges initially but eventually many joined us after we earned their trust,” said Mr. Igecha adding, “Who better to implement an organization’s philanthropic endeavors than the people who work there? After all, employees represent their organizations both at formal forums and at home.”

Today, over 1,000 members of staff like Mr. Ithiami have joined the initiative and are fondly referred to among their peers as ‘Givers’. They commit to a monthly or one-off financial contribution or other voluntary services utilizing their time and skill to create a better society. KenGen Givers assist to spearhead and implement the company’s CSR projects at each power station in line with KenGen’s overall sustainability agenda.

“My childhood was interesting and had to go through challenges that taught me great lessons in life particularly on the benefits of helping, a small act can make a huge difference in how a child’s life turns out to be,” intones Mr. Ithiami adding, “I really enjoyed school despite the hardships, it opened up my mind to a fascinating new world beyond the daily hustles.”

Mr. Ithiami owes his success to a number of people who helped him through school and has decided to join hands with other like-minded employees to give back.

He renders: “Givers helped me during my school days, and even when I was in college, I don’t think I would have made it without the generous support I received.”

Other than making monetary contributions, about 25 of KenGen Givers are committed as mentors for students under the KenGen Education Scholarships program to ensure their good performance and also offer counseling and career guidance.

According to Mr. Ithiami, the one thing that makes the Employee Giver Initiative attractive is the fact that, “You know very well that the resources will be used diligently for stated purposes since the fund is being managed by colleagues who are people you know and trust.”

Thanks to this kitty, KenGen Givers are today able to plant over 6,000 trees every year in various locations around the country including the Nairobi National Park, Western, Eastern, Rift Valley and Coastal regions. According to Cathy Kwena, KenGen Foundation’s Senior Fundraising Officer, the Giver initiative has so far collected close to 10 million shillings in a span of just about three years. This fund has also helped educate eight students through secondary school. 

“There is great joy in knowing that you have touched a life positively through the simple act of sharing,” says Mr. Ithiami. To him, the act of giving, in itself irrespective of the amount is a great source of satisfaction.

His advice to other organization who would want to implement the same model is to do it in an organized manner and allow employees to channel their donations through check-off, standing order and so on as KenGen does. 

“It is easier that way,” he says in a rather reflective tone before his face beams with excitement as he adds, “You can also give in kind including skills and time spent helping others in the community. Giving opens up joy and blessings of being a vessel for uplifting humanity.”

Going forward KenGen intends to enlist up to 70% of its 2,500 strong staff complement into the Employee Giver Initiative as one of its Foundation’s revenue streams towards making it self-reliant. 

Governed by a Board of Trustees, the KenGen Foundation focuses its CSR efforts around three key pillars of sustainability namely; Education, Environment, and Water and Sanitation in support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals which aims at ending extreme poverty, providing educational and entrepreneurial opportunities, and addressing climate change.

Frank D. Ochieng, Chief Communications Officer – KenGen.