Safaricom, has signed a one year partnership with SOMA Connect to help boost the online presence of businesses and organisations. SOMA Connect is an outreach programme that encourages the use of digital communication within firms in Kenya.
Through the partnership, Safaricom and SOMA Connect will create awareness among businesses and organisations on how they can take advantage of digital communication channels to conveniently interact with their customers, while also educating youth on opportunities within the digital space.
“Kenya’s fast growing digital space offers a great opportunity for businesses to conveniently serve their customers. Through this partnership, we aim to encourage more firms, especially small and medium enterprises, to adopt the use of the data in their businesses,” said Stephen Chege, Director – Corporate Affairs, Safaricom.
SOMA Connect is an initiative of the annual Kenya Social Media Awards (SOMA), which celebrates and recognizes individuals and organisations that use social media to impact society positively. . The Gala night for the fourth edition of the Awards was held last month.
According to the latest Communication Authority of Kenya Industry Report, there are 37.4 million internet users in the country, representing an internet penetration rate of 87.2 percent.
At the same time, the number of smartphone users in the country has more than doubled over the last one year to stand at more than 8 million, which has led to an increase in demand for content and services offered over the internet.
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SOMA founder, Martin Muli, welcomed the partnership with Safaricom’s saying there was need to create awareness to businesses in the country on the benefits of being online.
“Our choice of Safaricom as a SOMA Connect partner is informed by the firm being among the first businesses in Kenya to adopt the use of social media and the internet in their business. We aim to educate other firms on how they too can adopt the use of internet in their businesses and the subsequent opportunities this presents,” said Mr. Muli.
The platform will also be used to sensitize the youth on job and entrepreneurship opportunities within the digital space. More than 500 young people will be trained on a variety of services they can offer to businesses though the internet.
