Rohto Mentholatum (K) Limited and the Henry Wanyoike Foundation have entered into a partnership that will see the living standards of people living disabilities improved.
The partnership also hopes to increase access to education.
Rohto Mentholatum has been supporting the foundation since 2012. For instance, during the 11th edition of the Foundation’s run, the giant Japanese consumer healthcare company donated Ksh. 500,000.
Rohto Mentholatun (K) Director Fumiko Akojima stated that the Foundation is in line with what is stipulated in the constitution with regard to special needs groups including persons with disabilities.
Akojima also added that the private sector should support the government in addressing the plight of the marginalized and low-income groups.
She said, “Philanthropic activities by the private sector are commendable. As much as it’s the mandate of the government to provide for its citizens, there is the need for other players to support the government especially in low-income and marginalized areas.”
Rohto Mentholatum was founded in 1899 in Japan. Today, the company operates 23 companies in over 130 countries. It has signed numerous marketing and distribution deals with several notable corporations in over 110 countries.
The company entered the Kenya market in 2013 as its way of expanding its presence in Africa. It has since earned quite an audience. The company’s mission is to develop pharmaceutical and cosmetics industry in Kenya and the larger East African region.
Since its entry into Kenya, the company has made efforts to connect to the local market. One of the strategies was appointing former Miss World Kenya Miss Charity Mwangi as an ambassador for its acne care brand. Also, the company appointed Roshanara Ebrahim as the new brand ambassador for its Rootia hair care products.
Rohto Mentholatum Kenya has also organized several sessions with the aim of connecting with the local audience and understanding their habits and preferences. One of the most recent has to be the Rohto Mentholatum skin care session that was held to discuss the role of skincare in career progression for women.
Speaking about the partnership with Rohto Mentholatum, Henry Wanyoike, the Foundation’s chairman, said that the partnership will play an important role in supporting the government to provide persons with disabilities with access to basic amenities.
The Henry Wanyoike Foundation was founded on May 27th, 2015 and it is named after the Henry Wanyoike, the celebrated blind athlete. Wanyoike holds a record for the 5,000 and 10,000 Paralympics of Athens, Greece, and Australia Olympics, and other international marathons.
Its mission is to empower people living with disabilities, the vulnerable, and the less fortunate.
One of the ways the foundation raises money is through an annual run. The 11th edition of the Henry Wanyoike run took place in Kikuyu on the 3rd June 2013. This year’s edition saw over 15,000 participants take part in the 2KM for the children category, 7.5KM for the physically challenged, juniors, and seniors, and 3KM for the veteran category.
The funds go towards boosting income earning projects and improve access to quality education to people living with disabilities.
If you would like to support the Henry Wanyoike Foundation, learn how through their Facebook page.
