M-PESA Foundation and Proximie Limited have established a Digital Operating Room at Kilifi County Referral Hospital to support emergency obstetric and neonatal care, targeting reductions in maternal and newborn deaths in Kilifi County.

In a statement dated July 8, 2026, the organisations said the digitised operating room will be implemented as a pilot for the next year under the Uzazi Salama Programme. The facility is intended to enable timely surgical interventions supported by technology, reducing the need for patients to travel long distances or be referred to other hospitals for specialised procedures.

The initiative comes as counties continue to invest in health infrastructure and digital solutions to improve outcomes, amid persistent gaps in access to specialist services, particularly in maternity and newborn care. Kilifi, a fast-growing coastal economy with a mix of rural and urban populations, has faced challenges related to 24-hour maternity coverage in some facilities, which can delay emergency interventions.

Patricia Ithau, Trustee, M-PESA Foundation, said the partnership is designed to extend specialised services closer to communities and relies on network connectivity to support remote collaboration during procedures. “Our collaboration with Proximie through this technology will strengthen the Uzazi Salama Programme by bringing communities closer to specialised health services. As M-Pesa Foundation, our commitment is to provide reliable network through our strong 4G and 5G technology by Safaricom which will power this tele-surgery solution and ensure seamless procedures without interruptions,” Ithau said.

According to the statement, the tele-surgery solution is expected to limit referrals by enabling “complex and specialised live procedures” while connecting surgeons at Kilifi County Referral Hospital with other practitioners in Kenya and internationally for skills transfer and case support.

Dr. Shannon Shibata-Germanos, Head of Global Health at Proximie, said Kilifi was selected based on maternal health indicators in the county and that the implementation has drawn in sector stakeholders. “The maternal health indicators in Kilifi are what led us to choose this county for the Digital Operating Room to curb instances of maternal and infant mortality. Uzazi Salama is an opportunity for us to plug in with innovative solutions at scale. We have garnered the support of key stakeholders such as the Surgical Society of Kenya to implement this programme. Our assurance is that patient data remains confidential with data protection a key aspect of this project,” she said.

The statement cited mortality indicators for Kilifi County, reporting a maternal mortality rate of 532 per 100,000 live births, attributed to the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS). It also reported neonatal mortality at approximately 24 per 1,000 live births, infant mortality at 34 per 1,000, and under-five mortality at 40 per 1,000. The organisations said limited access to 24-hour maternity services in some facilities contributes to delays in emergency care.

For Kenya’s healthcare market, the project illustrates how private-sector and philanthropic funding is increasingly being paired with digital health infrastructure to address specialist shortages and improve service quality outside major urban centres. If the pilot demonstrates reduced referrals and improved clinical outcomes, it could strengthen the case for similar deployments in other counties, while raising questions on long-term operating costs, workforce training, and data governance as digital systems scale.

Uzazi Salama, according to the statement, was launched in 2024 and expanded from Kilifi South and Magarini to all sub-counties in Kilifi County. The partners said the digital operating room is intended to expand access to reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child and adolescent health services supported by the programme.

Proximie describes itself as a health technology company that digitises operating rooms using artificial intelligence, cloud-based software and augmented reality, connecting surgical teams to support operations remotely. The partners did not disclose the cost of the digital operating room or the funding structure for the pilot.

Samson Lemayan and Lydia Simiyu won the men’s and women’s 42km races at the 26th Lewa Safari Marathon held on Saturday, June 27, 2026, at Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Isiolo County, according to a statement issued by the organisers and sponsors.

Lemayan, a ranger at Samburu National Reserve, defended his men’s title after finishing in 2:27:04. He placed ahead of Victor Miano (2:28:08) and Nehemiah Kimaru (2:32:38). In the women’s race, 32-year-old Kenya Wildlife Service officer Simiyu, from Kitale in Trans Nzoia County, won in 2:50:39, followed by Lydia Nyansikera (2:56:41) and Gladys Otero (3:07:40).

Both the 42km and 21km category winners received KES 150,000 each, while first runners-up earned KES 80,000 and second runners-up KES 60,000, the statement said.

The Lewa Safari Marathon, now in its 26th year, is among Kenya’s high-profile endurance events that combines sports with conservation-linked fundraising at a time when corporate-backed events continue to play a growing role in financing community and environmental programmes in Northern Kenya.

“This is my third year participating in this race and my second time winning it. I have been preparing for this race since last year, and I am happy to have successfully defended my title. This Marathon is more challenging than many other races because of its tough terrain, so winning here means a lot to me as I continue preparing for upcoming races,” Lemayan said.

Simiyu said the win marked her first appearance at the event. “This is my first time participating in the Lewa Safari Marathon, and winning it is a major milestone in my athletics career. It is one of the races I have always wanted to compete in because of its impact on conservation and the surrounding communities, as well as its reputation as one of the toughest marathon courses. I would like to thank the organisers and sponsors, including Safaricom, for making this event such a success,” she said.

In the 21km half marathon, Michael Kamau won the men’s race in 1:06:36, while Mercy Nelima took the women’s title in 1:19:02. Justine Lelintan (1:07:59) and Doreen Kendi (1:23:09) were second, while Simon Saidimu (1:08:30) and Caroline Waithira (1:26:12) finished third in their respective categories. The Executive 10km winners were Wilson Moyer (men) and Jessica Baillie (women), organisers said.

Michael Joseph, an M-PESA Foundation Trustee, linked the event to longer-term corporate support. “Twenty-six years of supporting this marathon reflect our long-standing commitment to creating meaningful and lasting impact in communities, extending far beyond wildlife conservation. I would like to thank our fellow sponsors, partners, participants and everyone who contributed to the success of this year's event. We remain committed to supporting this noble cause and ensuring it continues to deliver even greater impact in the years ahead,” Joseph said.

Organisers said the 2026 edition attracted more than 1,400 participants from Kenya and abroad, a turnout that underscores the continued appeal of destination events to domestic and international runners, with potential spillovers for hospitality, transport and local supply chains in host regions.

Rob Macaire, CEO of Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, said the marathon’s focus goes beyond the race itself. “Today, we celebrate not only the achievements of those who crossed the finish line, but also the lasting impact this event continues to make through conservation, education, healthcare and sustainable livelihoods. Experiencing my first Lewa Safari Marathon as CEO has been both inspiring and humbling,” Macaire said.

The event was sponsored by Safaricom and Huawei, alongside partners including Amref Health Africa, Kenya Red Cross, Atlas Towers, Safari Link, ICEA Lions, and Tropical Heat, according to the statement. Organisers did not disclose the total amount raised, but said the marathon supports conservation and neighbouring communities, with future editions expected to continue relying on corporate sponsorship and participant turnout as key drivers.

Pumwani Maternity Hospital has established an upgraded newborn unit in Nairobi, adding new technology and infrastructure—including a central heating system—to address hypothermia among newborns, according to a press release dated June 10, 2026.

The hospital, which said it delivers about 80 to 90 babies daily and is marking its 100th anniversary this year, stated that the modernisation is intended to strengthen neonatal care at what it described as Kenya’s largest maternity facility and a key referral point for complicated cases. The press release also noted that Nairobi accounts for about 10% of births in Kenya, positioning interventions at Pumwani as significant for maternal and newborn outcomes beyond the facility.

Hypothermia—when newborns are unable to regulate their body temperature—has been a longstanding clinical challenge at the hospital. Dr Chris Mugambi, Pumwani Maternity Hospital’s Medical Superintendent and a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, described the condition as “an invisible enemy” for newborns at the facility.

Dr Mugambi said the installation of the central heating system has already delivered measurable gains. “The central heating component has enabled us to achieve above 75 per cent improvement in thermal regulation outcomes, saving infant lives on the backdrop of stretched demand,” he said.

The initiative was supported through a partnership involving the Nairobi City County Government, Pumwani Maternity Hospital and Safaricom Foundation-linked programmes, the statement said. Safaricom Foundation Chairman Joseph Ogutu said the intervention forms part of the Uzazi Salama programme, which he said is aligned to the World Health Organization’s Every Woman, Every Newborn, Everywhere (EWENE) action plan.

“We are absolutely delighted at the impact of this partnership with the Nairobi County Government and Pumwani Maternity Hospital, enabling us to improve the health and well-being of women and children in our country by ending preventable deaths as we journey towards the realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals,” Ogutu said.

Funding for the heating component was provided by the M-Pesa Foundation, which the press release said put in KES 13 million towards the installation of the central heating system in the newborn unit. The statement linked the project to Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being), citing its role in strengthening referral healthcare services.

Nairobi City County Chief Officer for Medical Services Maryam Dahir said the upgraded unit is expected to improve maternal and newborn care at a facility that the press release said accounts for about 10% of the country’s total births. “This means we are responsible for approximately one in every ten maternal cases in Kenya,” she said.

Dahir added that the county views partner support as part of broader health system strengthening efforts. “As a county, we receive this with great gratitude and we look forward to continued partnership, and where possible, cascading similar support to other facilities within the city,” she said.

For Kenya’s health sector and its financing landscape, the project underscores the growing role of public-private partnerships and philanthropic capital in bridging gaps in critical hospital infrastructure, particularly in high-volume public facilities. Thermal regulation is a basic but often under-resourced component of neonatal care, and Pumwani’s scale—80 to 90 deliveries a day, according to the statement—means efficiency gains can translate into system-level impact if replicated.

Next, county health leaders indicated interest in extending similar support to other facilities within Nairobi. Future milestones will likely include monitoring clinical outcomes from the upgraded unit and assessing whether comparable heating and equipment interventions can be deployed across other maternity and newborn units in the county’s referral network.

The 37th edition of Kenya’s Rhino Charge 4x4 off-road competition will be held on Saturday, May 30, 2026, at Ngilai in Samburu County, with 65 vehicles entered across three categories, according to organisers and sponsors.

Rhino Ark Kenya Charitable Trust said the annual event raises funds for conservation and protection of Kenya’s mountain ecosystems—often referred to as the country’s “Water Towers”—which underpin water security for households, agriculture and industry.

Safaricom PLC and M-PESA Foundation said they will provide a combined KES 114 million in sponsorship for the 2026 event. Of this, M-PESA Foundation committed KES 94 million to support Rhino Ark’s conservation activities, including fencing and protection of the Mount Elgon Forest (Suam Block) and restoration work in the Mau Forest Complex across Narok, Kericho and Bomet counties.

Safaricom said it contributed KES 20 million to support three participating cars and provide network connectivity during the event. Under the team support allocation, Car No. 44 received KES 15 million, while EV Explorers and Zambarau Heels on Wheels each received KES 1 million. The remaining KES 3 million is for network connectivity during the competition, according to the statement.

The 2026 field includes Safaricom-sponsored teams EV Explorers, led by Richard Kiplagat; AK44, led by Adil Khawaja; and the all-women team Zambarau Heels on Wheels. Organisers said vehicles will compete in Modified, Super Modified and Unmodified categories.

“The car is in great condition and the entire team is excited and ready to take on the course. I would like to sincerely thank all our sponsors, especially Safaricom and M-PESA, for their tremendous support,” said Adil Khawaja, Team Lead, Car No. 44 (AK44). He added that the team hoped to retain its position as the leading fundraiser while backing conservation efforts.

Rhino Ark said preparations were completed following scrutineering and security checks ahead of race day. “The stage is fully set for this year’s Rhino Charge, with 65 car entries ready to take on the challenge. Today’s scrutineering process was focused on ensuring that all participating vehicles meet the required standards, and I am pleased to confirm that everything is in place, including the necessary security arrangements,” said Christian Lambrechts, Executive Director of Rhino Ark.

EV participation will again feature in the 2026 event. “This marks our second participation in the Rhino Charge with an electric vehicle, following last year’s historic debut of an EV in the competition. We gained valuable lessons from that experience and have since made significant improvements to the vehicle,” said Richard Kiplagat, Team Lead, EV Explorers.

The organisers cited last year’s fundraising performance as an indicator of the event’s growing role as a financing platform for conservation-linked interventions. The 2025 Rhino Charge, held at Simo-Soi in Baringo North, raised KES 269.5 million, Rhino Ark said. AK44 emerged as the top fundraising team after raising KES 139.8 million. Car No. 23, led by Peter Kinyua, raised KES 13.5 million, while Car No. 63, led by Tim Carstens, raised KES 8.6 million, according to the organisers.

For Kenya’s business landscape, Rhino Charge has become a high-profile channel through which corporates and foundations support conservation projects that protect water catchments critical to power generation, irrigation, manufacturing supply chains and urban water systems. The 2026 sponsorship allocations also illustrate how corporate giving is being tied to specific, measurable interventions—such as fencing, protection and restoration—within major ecosystems.

Rhino Ark said the event’s proceeds support its work to conserve mountain range ecosystems. The 2026 competition at Ngilai will proceed on May 30, with participating teams targeting both performance on the course and fundraising for conservation programmes.

Safaricom Plc and the M-PESA Foundation have committed KES 114 million to support the 2026 Rhino Charge Challenge scheduled for Saturday, May 30, in Samburu, with the bulk of the funding earmarked for Rhino Ark Kenya Charitable Trust’s conservation work, according to a company press release issued in May 2026.

Safaricom said KES 94 million of the total will be channelled through the M-PESA Foundation to support Rhino Ark activities, including fencing and protection of Mount Elgon Forest (Suam Block) and restoration efforts in the Mau Forest Complex across Narok, Kericho and Bomet counties. The company said the support will also extend to the Mount Kenya Forest Rehabilitation and Protection Project in Tharaka Nithi County.

The remaining KES 20 million will be provided by Safaricom Plc to support participation by three entry cars and to provide connectivity during the event. Safaricom said KES 17 million of its allocation will support Car No. 44 led by Adil Khawaja, the EV Explorers team led by Richard Kiplagat, and the all-ladies team Zambarau Heels on the Wheel led by Agnes Mwangi. The balance of KES 3 million will be used for network connectivity during the competition.

Speaking during a cheque handover ceremony at Safaricom headquarters in Nairobi, Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa linked the sponsorship to the company’s sustainability priorities. “This year, we are proud to commit KES 114 million through the M-PESA Foundation and Safaricom. As a company, sustainability remains central to how we create long-term value for our customers, communities, and the environment. Our support for the Rhino Charge reflects our commitment to practical conservation efforts that protect Kenya’s natural heritage while driving innovation and resilience,” Mr Ndegwa said, according to the press release.

Safaricom said the connectivity support will include deployment of 5G at the event site to improve communications for participants and spectators.

Under the team support allocation, Safaricom said Car No. 44 will receive KES 15 million, while EV Explorers and Zambarau Heels on the Wheel will each receive KES 1 million.

The Rhino Charge is an annual off-road 4×4 competition that raises funds for Rhino Ark Kenya Charitable Trust, which focuses on conservation and protection of Kenya’s mountain ecosystems—often referred to as “water towers.” The event’s fundraising model has become a significant funding stream for conservation infrastructure, particularly electric fencing that aims to reduce human-wildlife conflict and protect key catchment areas.

Safaricom’s announcement comes as corporates continue to increase visibility around climate adaptation and water-tower protection, issues that have direct economic implications for Kenya’s agriculture, hydropower generation, and tourism value chains. Funding directed to fencing and rehabilitation can also influence local livelihoods by reducing crop losses and security risks associated with wildlife incursions, while enabling more predictable land use around protected areas.

Participants also framed the support as enabling greater competitiveness and representation. “As Team Zambarau, we are grateful for Safaricom’s support… This support not only empowers our team but also reinforces our shared mission of advancing conservation and protecting Kenya’s natural heritage through the Rhino Ark Kenya Charitable Trust,” said Elizabeth Wanjiku, a team member at Zambarau Heels on the Wheel, according to the statement.

Richard Kiplagat, team lead for EV Explorers, said the sponsorship will support the team’s second consecutive year in the competition. “As the only EV team in the competition, we are highly motivated not only to complete the challenge but also to emerge among the best, building on lessons from last year’s mechanical challenges as we champion the future of electric mobility and environmental conservation,” Mr Kiplagat said.

Safaricom cited Rhino Charge’s 2025 fundraising performance as a benchmark for the scale of giving the event attracts. According to the press release, the 2025 edition in Saimo Soi, Baringo County, raised KES 269.5 million. Safaricom said Adil Khawaja was the top fundraiser for the third consecutive year after raising KES 139.8 million, followed by Car No. 23 led by Peter Kinyua at KES 13.5 million and Car No. 63 led by Tim Carstens at KES 8.6 million.

Looking ahead to the 2026 event, Safaricom said the 37th edition is expected to attract 55 entries, including the 2025 overall winners Team Huzi (Car No. 33) and Team Zambarau. Separately, Rhino Ark Executive Director Christian Lambrechts said preparations were ongoing and projected higher participation. “This year’s preparations for the Rhino Charge Challenge are in full swing, and we expect a total of 65 entries to take part in the challenge and fundraising effort,” Mr Lambrechts said, according to the statement.

Safaricom, through its foundations, has launched “Capture the Good”, a national photography and videography challenge that will invite creators to document community projects in education, health, economic empowerment and environmental conservation, the company said on May 12, 2026 in Nairobi.

According to the press release, entries are open at https://capturethegood.safaricom.co.ke/ until May 30, 2026. Participants will select from 250 projects, visit project sites and produce visual stories showing the projects’ impact. The initiative is being run in partnership with the Photographers Association of Kenya (PAK) and the Photojournalists Association of Kenya (PJAK), with Vivo named as the mobile photography partner.

The programme outlines a multi-stage judging process. Safaricom said submitted work will be reviewed by a judging panel, which will select 90 regional winners for a masterclass. After refinement and resubmission, a second judging round will produce 18 national winners whose work will appear on the Capture the Good website.

Safaricom Group Chief Executive Officer Peter Ndegwa said the company was seeking to use creators’ perspectives to document community change. “We live in a visual world, often enhanced by a photo or a video, building believability, relatability and connections, while allowing the rest of society to live through these stories. These platforms enable us to share stories of transformation, while humanizing the spaces where we serve our communities. We rea now looking to see these stories of impact through their lens,” Ndegwa said.

Safaricom said the challenge will also include public voting. It stated that three winners in each category will be awarded photographer and videographer of the year prizes, with cash awards of KES 1 million for first place, KES 750,000 for second place and KES 500,000 for third place. The press release added that total rewards will amount to KES 20.4 million, including cash prizes, airtime, vouchers and merchandise, alongside data offers intended to support submissions.

The competition is scheduled to run until August 14, 2026, when Safaricom said it plans to crown winners and stage an exhibition of selected works.

The launch also included an education infrastructure announcement. Safaricom said the M-PESA Foundation broke ground for an ICT laboratory at Kisumu Boys’ High School valued at KES 12.5 million, which it said would support learning and innovation for more than 1,800 learners.

For Kenya’s creative economy, the challenge is likely to intensify competition around documentary-style content tied to development programmes and corporate social investment, while strengthening links between creators and institutional funders. The involvement of PAK and PJAK also suggests an emphasis on technical standards and journalistic approaches as creators seek to translate field visits into publishable photo and video narratives.

Next milestones include the May 30, 2026 submission deadline, the regional shortlisting and masterclasses, followed by final judging and public voting ahead of the planned August 14, 2026 awards and exhibition, according to Safaricom.

Murang’a County Referral Hospital hosted a fistula screening and treatment camp that mobilised 449 women and girls for screening, counselling, physiotherapy and corrective surgery, according to a press release dated April 18, 2026. The camp was a collaboration between the M-Pesa Foundation, the Ministry of Health and the Murang’a County Government, supported by clinical partners including the Flying Doctors and Amref Health Africa.

The organisers said the intervention comes against what they described as a national burden of about 120,000 women living with untreated obstetric fistula, citing shortages of trained fistula surgeons, delayed access to emergency obstetric care and complications during childbirth as key barriers to reducing the caseload.

Obstetric fistula is a childbirth injury commonly linked to prolonged or obstructed labour and can result in chronic incontinence and other complications. Beyond the health impact, the condition can lead to stigma and economic exclusion—factors that often affect household incomes and productivity, and increase demand for public health services.

Christine Muthengi, a vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) nurse and trainer, said some patients at the Murang’a camp had lived with the condition for decades, with cases dating back to 1991. She linked long-term untreated cases to social outcomes that include abandonment and isolation.

“Obstetric fistula is a devastating childbirth injury that causes chronic incontinence, deep physical trauma and social isolation, from constant leakage to resultant foul smell, Women and girls are forced into hiding for years, to save them from shame,” Ms Muthengi said.

Ms Muthengi added that stigma remains a major obstacle to treatment, saying many patients conceal their condition and delay seeking medical care. The press release also pointed to gaps such as misdiagnosis and delays in accessing emergency obstetric services as contributing risk factors.

Despite Murang’a County reporting a 96% skilled birth attendance rate and a teenage pregnancy rate of 7%, the statement said underlying challenges—such as poverty and early and unintended pregnancies among adolescents—can still increase the risk of obstetric fistula.

The M-Pesa Foundation said it invested KES 8.1 million in the Murang’a initiative, which it described as part of a wider KES 213 million commitment towards fistula interventions. According to the Foundation, that funding has enabled more than 1,500 women in “high-burden counties” to access treatment.

Patricia Ithau, trustee at M-Pesa Foundation, said the programme aims to reduce delays to care and restore health outcomes for affected patients. “No woman should have to suffer in silence. Fistula surgery may seem like a simple procedure, but the transformation it brings to a woman’s dignity, health and future is profound,” Ms Ithau said.

For Kenya’s health sector, initiatives that bundle screening, surgical camps and post-operative support can help counties manage backlogs, but they also highlight structural constraints in specialist capacity and referral systems. If scaled and paired with stronger emergency obstetric care, such programmes could reduce long-term costs associated with chronic complications and social support needs, particularly in public facilities.

The partners did not provide a timeline for the next camp in the statement, but positioned the Murang’a intervention as part of longer-term efforts to build capacity to manage fistula cases and increase access to treatment in counties with high demand.