UAP Old Mutual: 175 years later
In Africa, there are few companies that have withstood the test of time to last more than a century. But UAP-Old Mutual isn’t one of them.
As of today, the company which is one of the region’s largest holistic financial services providers celebrated 175 years of existence in Africa and 100 years within the East African market.
For a business to achieve such extraordinary feats, it takes careful stewardship, efficiency, resilience, and diversity that could cope with anything.
Read also: Meet the new boss: Arthur Oginga will be the new CEO of UAP Old Mutual Group
More importantly, it requires a heart that is in sync with both its employees and the society in which the business operates, for better for worse.
In the wake of the nightmarish COVID-19 pandemic that is reversing fortunes and upending jobs all over the country, UAP Old Mutual Group inclusive of its subsidiary; Faulu Microfinance bank has contributed Ksh 8.5 million to various national programmes in response to the pandemic.
The company has also moved to assist its 434 staff in all its subsidiaries with shopping vouchers to meet their daily obligations at home.
Such encouraging acts of empathy offer a shining ray of hope before we even begin to think about the dilemma ahead.
The company donated at least 8,500 face masks to Boba Boda riders all over the country and partnered with Uber to deliver 17,000 facemasks for drivers in Nairobi and Mombasa.
Maudhui House also understands that the company has partnered with its staff to support vulnerable children’s homes and the elderly population clobbered hard by the pandemic.
UAP Old Mutual also chipped in Ksh 3.1 million in Joint initiatives with market regulators who include the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) and Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA)
But it’s a Digital Classroom that will be the hallmark of the company’s 175th birthday celebration.
The company says that the Digital Classroom will primarily connect teachers and learners of all ages, entrepreneurs, and all interested stakeholders through a digital platform that is expected to serve nearly 20 million Africans.
UAP-Old Mutual says it will be working with regional governments, education providers and even Telco’s to bring Africa’s Biggest Digital Classroom to life.
The Digital Classroom will consist of comprehensive financial education programmes targeted at a range of learners. “We will be creating opportunities for our employees, customers, teachers, learners, and many other stakeholders to add their voices to the design process” reads a statement from the company.
The pilot phase will start in Kenya, South Africa, Namibia, and Ghana before being rolled out to the 13 other markets that the company operates.
Even though much of Africa is haunted by widespread education exclusion vastly uneven teacher-to-learner ratios and essentially lacks the financial resources to deliver the best ways of learning and teaching, the continent is increasingly becoming connected.
An Innovative platform such as UAP-Old Mutual’s Digital Classroom may be a force for good that will allow Africans to compete on a global scale.
