This is the third consecutive year that KCB is sponsoring the fair. The two main objectives of the fair are to strengthen the bank’s presence in the horticultural sector while at the same time giving back to the community.
The horticultural industry which includes fruits, vegetables and cut flowers provides direct employment to an estimated 100,000 Kenyans, while a further 70,000 are employed in related industries like packaging, chemicals, and freight services.
Speaking during the cheque presentation exercise at KCB headquarters in Nairobi, the Group Chief Business Officer-Kenya Mr. Peter Kimondo said the money will go towards meeting the cost of hosting the fair which will be held at the Naivasha Golf Club.
At the fair, KCB will be the official banker, a move Mr. Kimondo said is geared towards availing the bank immense opportunities to showcase some of their financial services and products suited for the corporate, retail, small and medium enterprises customers.
“Through this partnership KCB has managed to close well over Kshs.300 million in new business covering Corporate Banking, Asset Based Finance, Cash Management Services, Trade Finance, Salary Processing and ATM Services,” noted Mr. Kimondo.
He noted that during the two previous years that the bank has sponsored the event over 5,000 bank accounts were opened an indication that the sector is an ideal target market for KCB’s banking and finance products.
“Through Mobi Banking option, customers can now access their account irrespective of their network service provider with 24 hour access to their account and access to over 2,600 KCB Mtaani agent locations in Kenya to deposit, withdraw cash and even send in account opening queries to the bank,” he added.
This has been made possible through the bank’s regional connectivity platform in all the 226 KCB bank branches and a network of over 920 ATMs in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, South Sudan and Burundi.
NHF which is on its 10th year remains the largest exhibition of its kind in Africa and second largest in the world. So far the bank has invested a total of Sh12 million in the last three years it has been sponsoring the event.
Last year, the fair attracted over 200 exhibitors, most of whom were international firms and thousands of local attendees.
According to NHF Vice Chairman Mr. Richard McGonell this year’s fair will be bigger and better and is expected to attract more exhibitors and visitors.
He added that the funds collected from the fair will go towards upgrading Nyamati Village in Naivasha. The upgrade will include building of a secondary school, erecting a domestic water system to provide water for over 30,000 people, refurbishment of a local maternity clinic and the road accident emergency centre.
The funds will also assist in buying sanitary towels for school going children, environmental projects, buying desks, helping the disabled among other activities.
Also present were representatives from the Horticultural Crops Development Authority (HCDA) and the Kenya Flower Council.
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