Nairobi — More than 2,000 employees of Absa Bank Kenya participated in a two-day staff-led initiative dubbed "Be the Difference Day", aimed at mentoring students and advancing environmental sustainability across the country.
The initiative, rolled out under the Absa Kenya Foundation, took place in over 150 secondary schools and colleges nationwide, covering all eight regions including Coast, Rift Valley, Western, Nairobi, Central, Eastern, and Nyanza. It focused on two key pillars of the Foundation--Education and Skills, and Environmental Stewardship.
During the exercise, staff conducted mentorship sessions with students on topics such as career planning, digital literacy, and financial management. Simultaneously, they participated in tree planting activities, contributing to Absa's target of planting and nurturing one million indigenous trees by 2032.
"We have created this platform to enable our colleagues from across the country to show up for communities as changemakers, not just as bankers," said Elizabeth Wasunna-Ochwa, Absa Kenya's Business Banking Director, while leading a team at Limuru Girls High School. "What makes this initiative unique is that it is peer-led and deeply personal for everyone."
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The mentorship sessions complemented the bank's Ready to Work programme, which aims to train 50,000 students this year in financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and digital skills.
"We are not just planting trees but nurturing the next generation that understands its role in protecting the planet," said Charles Wokabi, Head of Sustainability and Corporate Affairs at Absa Bank Kenya. "The greater goal is to grow this initiative into a national platform for change and impact so that we can reach more communities across Kenya."
